Fingerprints
by Demented Insane Spirit
Summary: Complete. MarikxAnzuxMalik. Marik shouldn't have been the person that she spoke to about her worries, shouldn't have been the person to comfort her with his rough words. Somehow, though, things had a way of working out with her.
1. Fingerprints: Part I

DIS: The song, _Teardrops On My Guitar_, inspired this. I can't say that it really follows the song, but it made me want to write this. Not only that, I was looking at a bunch of my pictures and found those of Marik when I was in my obsessed stage _sooo_...This is what came out.

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_Title: Fingerprints_

_Rating: T_

_Genre: Romance/Drama_

_Summary: MarikxAnzu. He shouldn't have been the person that she spoke to about her worries, shouldn't have been the person to comfort her with his rough words. Somehow, though, things had a way of working out with her. One shot?_

_Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh_

_Notes/Warnings: MarikxAnzu; one shot_

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_Fingerprints _

Anzu Mazaki leaned against the doorframe of her best friend, Yuugi's, bedroom door as she watched him move around the room. He and his grandpa were moving from their old Kame Game Shop to a completely other town. She held memories in the home that was her friend's, as she had known him since junior high. She couldn't simply walk down to hang out with him anymore, and this went for her other friends, as well.

Jounouchi had finally gotten over his initial problems with his mother so that he could spend more time with his little sister, so he moved to Shibuya a few towns away from Domino where Shizuka lived. Otogi had also moved to Shibuya, as he and Shizuka were dating and his game shop had branched out to other towns. Even Kaiba had moved with Mokuba, claiming that Domino's education system was lacking for his younger brother. Those that would remain in Domino in their small group would only be Anzu and Honda. Soon, though, Anzu knew she would be gone, too, to New York if she was lucky.

_Everything is happening so fast, though, _she reflected sadly, resting her head on the doorframe as she watched Yuugi fold a shirt and settle it in one of his suitcases. _Ever since Atemu and the tomb robber, Bakura, were sealed away in the past, it seems like things have been advancing towards our separation. We're already being pushed apart, especially since high school ended... _Anzu sighed and held herself, lowering her eyes to the ground.

"Anzu?" She glanced up to see Yuugi watching her with a curious, concerned expression. "Are you okay? You haven't said much since you came by." She hastily pasted a smile on her lips to reassure him. Anzu was generally the social type of person, so it was quite easy to see when she was upset.

"No, I'm fine, Yuugi," she lied without thinking about it. She was briefly confused at her lie, as she had always told Yuugi what she was thinking, no matter what the circumstances were. He was her best friend and even though she had been in love with Atemu when he had a crush on her, she couldn't help but adore him. There were times when she saw Atemu in him and a part of her wanted to stay with him to see if he would grow to be like the Pharaoh she had so admired. "I just wish you weren't moving away."

"It's only a town away," he told her, turning back to his packing. His room was bare of any duel monster posters, his shelves empty of his games and figurines; Anzu thought it looked utterly depressing. "We can take the subway to see each other." He glanced over his shoulder to flash her a smile. She returned the smile, but once he turned away, it slipped from her lips.

With another sigh, she straightened and left him to his packing, moving to the empty living room. She stood in the middle, vaguely aware of putting the pieces of furniture in their proper places in her head. She wanted to settle in front of the TV and cuddle with her friends like she once did. She would sit between Yuugi and Honda with Jounouchi on the other side of Yuugi. Sometimes Sugoroku Mutou, Yuugi's grandfather, would drift in and stand at the end of the couch, watching a few minutes of TV and making comments. _But Jounouchi is in Shibuya, _she thought sadly, _and Honda has a job and Miho so that he barely has time to take a subway to Shibuya with me and Yuugi. Now, Yuugi is leaving. Honda and I have never been as close as I have been with Jounouchi and Yuugi... Who will I have for friends?_

"Yuugi?" Anzu called, seeing that the sun was beginning to set. "Your grandpa has been waiting outside for awhile. You should probably hurry." He came out, dragging two huge suitcases that were too big for him. She took one, asking, "Is there anything else?"

"No, that's it. Thanks for seeing me off, Anzu. I gave you the new number and address, right?" She nodded to show that he had, not bothering to tell him of her troubled mind. She picked up the suitcase and followed him downstairs, pausing to send one last, lingering look at the empty room before continuing her descent. For a moment, she imagined seeing herself and her friends goofing around with the couch pillows.

Blinking back the memory, she joined Yuugi outside. He shut the door behind them, turning the knob to make certain that it was locked. They went to the trunk of the car and shoved the suitcases inside. "I'll see you this weekend, Yuugi," she said with a false cheerfulness. "Hopefully I can find the place without getting lost." She laughed, hearing the hollow sound in it. Yuugi and his grandfather were oblivious, chuckling with her and smiling. She hugged Yuugi and watched as he climbed in the car.

Folding her arms over her chest, Anzu watched the car pull away from the curb and cruise down the street. A small hand was waving to her from the passenger window. She waved back and when the car pulled around a corner, she lowered her hand and stared at the corner with a longing expression. If she could, she would move everyone to Shibuya and hope that their friendship would last that way.

_As if that would do anything, _she thought sullenly, turning to walk from her friend's past home. _I just don't understand how everything happened. Mai simply disappeared after that deal with Dartz and we haven't seen her in ages. Other than Otogi, who moved to Shibuya before Jounouchi, we haven't seen Shizuka that much, either. Now that I think about it, even when Jounouchi was here, all of us never really hung out too much. But why? Simply because the yamis were gone? _

Anzu shook her head and then raised it to get a glimpse of her surroundings. Buildings rose, engulfing her with their massive size. She felt stifled, as if there would be no escape from the city. She hastened her steps, nearly running as she fled from the busy streets to a quieter part of Domino City. She slowed and looked around before her eyes settled on the park. There were a few older kids playing, yelling and throwing a ball between each other.

Pulling her jacket around herself, Anzu went to a bench and settled on it to watch the kids play their game of what appeared to be some sort of version of soccer. _We used to be like that, _she thought. _We were never completely carefree, though. There was always something that happened to us that we couldn't ignore. Ever since Yuugi solved the Sennen Puzzle, we have had countless problems in our lives. It's never been completely because of the Puzzle, either... _

A sound beside her made her turn her head slightly and she started in alarm at seeing who the person was that had settled on the bench with her. Marik Ishtar, considered the "anger" of Malik Ishtar, was an accident formed into a person. When he was brought back into living in Malik's body, Shadii decided it best to give him his own body, as the struggle between Malik and Marik would be pointless and more trouble than it was worth. Although Marik was far more subdued, the sight of him still spiked fear in Anzu despite herself. She found it ironic that shortly after Jounouchi had moved from Domino, the Ishtars had settled permanently in the city.

"Is there a reason you're staring at me?" Marik coldly asked. She snapped out of her thoughts and quickly shook her head, looking away to gaze at the kids playing their game. He chuckled darkly, but didn't give any taunt like his nicer and more comfortable half might have. The thought of Malik made a corner of her mouth tilt upward. She had become friends with him in the time that he had been in Domino, unable to dislike him after everything he had done for them when they were in Egypt.

"Marik, you're not...usually alone, are you?" She queried hesitantly, recalling that Malik or Isis was always with the male whenever she saw him. He snorted and didn't reply for a long moment. When she continued to gaze at him expectantly, he straightened from his slouch and shifted his bored gaze to hers. Even though it was so much like Malik's, it was incredibly different at the same time. His eyes were heavy-lidded and rarely ever held any emotion. Malik's were constantly alive, warm and flashing with his thoughts.

"Isis and Malik don't know that I'm out of the house yet," he responded after gliding his gaze over her face. His mouth twisted into a mocking smirk. "Are you going to go squealing to them? Personally, I don't really care. I just needed to get away from their annoying voices for a few minutes." His voice sounded almost bitter, but she wasn't sure. The next time he spoke, the tone had been replaced with that of its original kind, "Yuugi Mutou left today, is that right?"

"Yes," she murmured. "I saw him off."

"One more to go and you'll be all alone," he pointed out in such an indifferent tone that she had to turn to stare at him. He glanced at her through the corner of his eye, an edge of his mouth curling upward. "Excluding Malik, of course. I've been noticing you two getting very close. How _sweet_...how disgustingly _sweet_."

"What do you care whether I'm alone or not?" Anzu snapped back moodily. She didn't need this man who acted like such a monster telling her that she was going to be left alone when she was well aware of that fact herself. "If you're trying to frighten me into moving, too, you've got a whole other thing coming to you! I'm not going anywhere. Domino is my home and it's where I'm staying until I get enough money to move to New York."

"Oh, you _are_ insecure, aren't you?" Marik snickered. "I had a feeling that was why you were sitting here, looking so distraught." He raised his eyebrows at her, spreading a hand out towards her. She stared at the hand, her jaw tight with tension. "I happen to be in a listening sort of mood, so tell me, Mazaki...Tell me your thoughts on your friends moving away. I can guess - it's not hard, knowing how precious friendship is to you."

When he received no response from her, he dropped his hand and stood, slipping his hands in his pants pockets. It was only then that Anzu noticed his attire of dark blue jeans and a black turtleneck sweater. She doubted that Isis or Malik had dressed him and was surprised by the simplicity of the outfit. It looked too normal to fit the Marik she knew. "Can I assume that you are in the belief that you and your friends will lose all contact with each other?" Marik inquired, leaning against a tree, watching her with a small smile playing on his mouth.

"It's none of your business what I think, Marik," she flatly stated, turning away from him. The kids were still playing, though she noticed one glance over at them curiously, no doubt wondering who they were and whether they were together. Her shoulders stiffened at the thought of anyone mistaking her and Marik as a couple. "Leave me alone." When she glanced at him, she saw that his eyes were on the children. Slowly, his eyes moved to hers, a knowing look in his eyes.

"Go and tell them, then, Mazaki, that I am not your boyfriend. I would hardly be offended, let alone flattered if they believe that."

A bit unnerved that he was able to read her thoughts so accurately, Anzu ground out, "No, you wouldn't be either, but that's because you don't _care_ about anything."

"Am I about to be subjected to one of your speeches? It will be a nice change to be annoyed by someone other than Malik or Isis." Her lips pursed into a thin, straight line and she looked away, her cheeks flushed with irritation. Instead of him getting worked up, she was working herself up into a rage. She didn't want to start yelling at him and she was certain that slapping him would earn herself a slap in return that would hurt much more. "Tell me," he said again.

"Yes," she finally told him. "Yes, I think we're going to be separated. Honda doesn't even talk to us anymore because he's dating Miho, he has to go to school to make up for lost credits, and he has a job on top of it." She hesitated and then decided that since Marik was insisting on listening to her problems, she would give them to him. "Ever since the yamis were taken back to the past, we have been growing further and further apart. Yuugi is completely unaware of it, but that's because he and Jounouchi keep in constant contact. I try to keep seeing Jounouchi, but it's hard when I want to save up my money for Julliard and Shibuya is some ways from Domino. He rarely ever comes from Shibuya and now he has virtually no reason to come to Domino since Yuugi is his best friend. I'm his friend, but I mean, we're not that close. It just seems like I'm losing all of my friends and I can't understand why this would happen after Atemu and Bakura left. Not to mention, I don't even see Ryou anymore since he's traveling with his dad. The only person I really talk to is Malik..."

Marik snorted at the mention of his lighter half. "Yes, _Malik_. What a nice exchange. You lose three friends and acquire a mentally unstable Egyptian boy in return."

"It was your fault that he became that way!" She snapped.

"No," he spat back, "it was never my fault. He and Isis and Rishid and everyone else are held in this belief, but I never made him that way. You forget that I was _created_ by him turning that way. His father and his lifestyle turned him into what he was, Mazaki, and I suggest you remember that to tell everyone that believes I am the reason for his so-called miserable life. Yes, he has such a terrible life, doesn't he? He has his family, money, and freedom. Don't try telling me that it was _my_ fault, because I could give you the nasty details of his life that I never contributed towards."

"You encouraged him," she quietly said.

"I will admit to that," he conceded, his brief spurt of anger evaporating. "His life as a tomb keeper made it so that he was forced to watch over the Pharaoh Atemu's tomb and wait for him to return. I encouraged him to get rid of the Pharaoh for that reason, but I never outright lied to him." He smiled silkily. "I had no reason to. Everything was set up for me to manipulate. But...I did not make him how he was. He created that person himself, I simply urged him along."

Anzu gazed up at him and then looked away, turning her eyes down to her lap. Her fingers curled into fists as she reflected on what he said, hating that he was right. Malik had told her of his life and the rules and principles he had to follow. The tattoos on his back were one of the many reasons that Marik emerged, but he had never tried to find any justice for Marik. As she reflected on it, Anzu realized that no one had ever tried to say that it was Malik's own fault for his manipulation of Battle City. Even Marik had never attempted to prove his innocence until now.

"Why did you tell me that?" She asked him, returning her gaze to his.

"Nobody else who listens comprehends what is being told to them," he answered steadily. "You at least pause to think over what was said to you, regardless of the person." His eyes narrowed slightly. "I think this is why Malik was more eager to befriend you than any of the others." There was a slight tap and he glanced down to where the soccer ball had bumped his foot. A girl and a boy approached him hesitantly, their eyes flickering to their ball. Marik picked it up and, without any threatening or sadistic comment, he threw it to them. The kids glanced from him to Anzu, who looked to them briefly. They quickly bowed and ran back to their companions.

"Thank you for listening to me, Marik," she told him, rising to her feet. "I couldn't tell Yuugi about it...I don't think he would understand." In the corner of her eye, she saw two figures stroll down the path and they looked strangely familiar even without turning her eyes to them directly.

Marik's mouth curved into a slight smirk. "Come and talk to me sometime, Mazaki. I tend to be in a listening mood more than is healthy." There was a call and he glanced over his shoulder, remarking, "It seems they've found me."

"What do they do if you escape?" She asked, curious.

"They are not violent enough to do anything to stop me from doing it again," he responded, releasing his hands from his pockets and pushing off from the tree. He walked towards Anzu and passed a hand above her cheek, brushing his fingers against her hair. "We'll have to do this again." He flashed a smirk that was almost lascivious, but not quite. He turned from her and strolled to meet the two Ishtars. Malik flicked a look at him, but continued towards Anzu.

"Anzu...Marik didn't...?" Malik trailed off uncertainly, unable to complete his sentence. Anzu shook her head and smiled as she watched Isis say something to Marik, who appeared to be completely ignoring her.

"No, he was really quite civil to me." She looked to Malik. "You should let him out on his own more often, Malik. I don't think he really wants to hurt anyone. He doesn't have much a reason to, does he?" Malik passed a hand over his face, a weary expression crossing his handsome features briefly.

"I'm not sure, Anzu. I would like to - his pacing drives me crazy - but Isis and Rishid don't trust him. They don't know him as well as I do, though, and Isis is hard to persuade. Besides, Marik hasn't tried to talk her into letting him out on his own. It's his own issue. I'll let him deal with it himself for now..." Anzu sighed a bit and then returned to gazing at Marik and Isis.

_Maybe he doesn't think she'll really listen to him, _she mused, a bit glad that a piece of Marik had been bared to her. As if feeling her eyes on him, he glanced back to her and she offered a small smile. He didn't return it, but she hadn't expected him to. _He's not as bad as everyone thinks...I'll talk to him again sometime when I get the chance. I promise myself I will._

_TBC?_

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DIS: Oh, man, I really shouldn't be starting a new story, but there's something hanging over this that is making me uncomfortable with leaving it as it is. I want to continue it, but at the same time I don't. It's up to the readers. Please leave me a review, telling me if you want it to stay as it is or you want to continue. I would love some feedback. Ciao!


	2. Fingerprints: Part II

DIS: Ever since I ended the first part, I knew how I wanted to start this one. I just had so much other things going on that I neglected writing it. Anyway, thanks to _everyone_ who reviewed. I thought, since it was a Marik/Anzu and people are being picked up by Kaiba/Anzu that not many would give any notice. In any case, enjoy the second part!

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_Fingerprints: Part II_

Anzu smiled slightly to herself as Jounouchi and Yuugi chattered excitedly about some video game or other that she did not truly have the mind to consider over. While they sat on the couch, pouring over a gaming magazine, she and Shizuka (who had come with her brother) sat on the floor, drinking tea quietly a few feet from them. Otogi had declined the offer to come, as his and Jounouchi's relationship was still shaky, making it so that they could not be in one place for an extended length of time. It was nice for Anzu to simply sit with another female without her boyfriend hovering nearby. Generally, Shizuka and Miho, the only two female friends she had contact with anymore, were always with their boyfriends. Even on the phone, it seemed that a part of Otogi or Honda was there with them to listen in on the conversation.

Anzu surveyed the den as she took a drink of the green tea, feeling a sliver of jealousy edge its way into her mind. It was not as if she wanted her friends' boyfriends for herself; she simply felt excluded, as though she were the only woman on the earth without a boyfriend. She was well aware that was not true, but feeling like a constant third wheel made her lonely. Yuugi did not care much for dating and although Jounouchi did, it was becoming clear he expected Mai Kujaku to reappear in his life again.

_It's not fair, _she thought a bit sullenly. She drew her eyes over her surroundings again, this time absorbing the actual set up of the room. It was familiar to Yuugi's old den, except there was now a karaoke machine in the corner of the room. This house was larger, as the two floors were left to their disposal. Their game shop was a separate building in the industrial area of the town.

"Yuugi told me that the Ishtars moved to Domino shortly after Jounouchi moved to Shibuya," Shizuka said in her naturally soft-spoken way. She smiled at Anzu when the elder female turned quickly, surprised by the sudden topic introduction. Her smile faltered a bit as she added, "They said that the evil part of Malik came back."

"Marik?" Anzu questioned blankly, her mind drifting briefly to when she had spoken to him. A corner of her mouth tilted up, unbidden by her. Suddenly realizing what it was that she had been doing, she cleared her throat a bit and then confirmed, "Yes, he did. I'm not certain how exactly it happened, but because Shadii thought it was pointless for him and Malik to be battling over the body constantly, he used the Sennen Items to give him his own body."

"Really? Is that...smart? I mean, I saw Marik in the Battle City finals, Anzu, and..." She trailed off, shivering a bit. Anzu gazed across Shizuka and felt an unnatural sweep of irritation with her young companion. Before she could snap out anything that could potentially harm her friendship with Jounouchi's sister, she reminded herself that no one had really spoken to Marik civilly. If they ever did, it was to challenge him to duels, and make snide comments. She was the only one in her group of friends that had ever conversed with him without a good deal of threats.

"He's not allowed outside the house without someone with him," she told Shizuka. Her voice sounded bitter to her own ears.

"Oh...Do you talk to them a lot, Anzu? The Ishtars, I mean?"

Relieved at leaving the subject of Marik and returning to somewhat safer ground, her face lit up with a smile as she nodded. "I talk to Malik a lot. We sometimes go out for lunch or somewhere just to get out of the house. It's so interesting to hear him talk about himself and how he saw us before Marik was banished to the Shadow Realm. He told me that the reason for most of his plans was because of how he lived as a tomb keeper. Once his mother died, things became really hard for him since he was expected to take his father's place in protecting the pharaoh's tomb and protecting the two Sennen Items." Her smile turned a bit uncertain. "Shizuka...Everyone blames all the death and things that happened in Battle City on Marik. A lot of it was Malik, though, you know, especially in the beginning. It wasn't like he was whispered lies all his life. Marik only...encouraged him."

"...You've spoken to Marik, haven't you?" Anzu blinked, surprised. There was a solemn, intent expression on the girl's face that she wasn't expecting. She had rarely seen it since Shizuka was sheltered and rather naïve; her heart seemed made of pure gold, unable to produce feelings or words to harm anyone.

"Once," she admitted, looking away. "He got out of the house for awhile. It was the day Yuugi moved...I know what your brother would say about him if I ever told him about this, but...Marik isn't bad anymore. I think because Shadii gave him a human essence, he received human emotions, too. Before, he was only full of negative emotions." It wasn't until then that Anzu realized she had wanted to tell someone of her meeting with Marik. She needed someone understanding to really _listen _to her about what she said of Marik.

"Maybe. You'll never know until you talk to him again, I suppose." There was slight reluctance in her voice. "I couldn't do it, he frightens me so badly."

"Who scares ya?" An obnoxious voice interrupted. The two females looked up mildly at Jounouchi, who had inserted himself in their conversation. Shizuka stared at him with no expression on her face. Anzu was glowering at him mutinously, outraged at his lack of manners. He looked from to the other, his smile slipping off his lips when he became aware of his error. He rubbed the back of his head and gave a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry...It's none of my business, of course."

"No, it's not," Anzu agreed tartly. Yuugi, on the couch, shook his head and covered his face, an embarrassed smile curving his lips upward. She could not help but smile as Jounouchi retreated back to the couch, appearing apologetic. It seemed as if things had never changed except for their settings and their third party member.

Shizuka reached over and touched Anzu's hand. "I won't tell him, Anzu, until you're ready," she assured. "I know how Jounouchi feels about the Ishtars, especially Marik. Do what you think is best." Her smile was both comforting and encouraging to Anzu, who had been dwelling the last two weeks on whether she really wanted to talk to Marik again. Now she was convinced that she did. Shizuka was right: if she wanted to learn more about Marik, she would have to talk to him.

Anzu left before the Katsuyas, hugging Shizuka and, to the dismay of her male companions, them, as well. Once she left Yuugi's house, she felt hollow again. It was hard turning her back on her best friends to return to Domino, where they belonged. Once she boarded the subway, she relaxed in the seat and pushed a hand wearily through her hair. _Even if I miss them, it's as if I see them in Malik every time I am with him, _she thought with a slow smile, smoothing her hair out and dropping her hand. _Maybe he knew that I needed a friend as badly as he did. His circumstances are a lot different, too, though. _

At the next stop, two unexpected people boarded. She started in surprise, straightening in her seat, catching a glimpse of Marik Ishtar, the object of her recent thoughts, trailing behind Isis Ishtar, his "adopted" sister. He looked as bored as ever, his hands buried deep in his pant pockets. His jacket's collar was pulled up, brushing against his cheeks. Her gaze drifted to Isis, whose face gave no indication of what she was thinking or how she even felt.

She lost them in the crowd of people that swarmed off the subway, colliding with those who were getting off. Frustrated and a bit disappointed, she slumped back in her seat, staring down at her cell phone that she had clasped in her hand beside her purse. She played with the antenna, pulling it up and down. Since she was sitting at the end of the seat, she was unsurprised when someone grasped the pole next to her.

Anzu heard the doors shut and then the person standing beside her leaned down and murmured, "What a surprise seeing you here, Mazaki." Her head flew up and she faced Marik with a baffled expression. His mouth curved into a smirk that was unnervingly familiar. "Coming back from Yuugi Mutou's, I expect?"

"Yes. Where is...?"

"Oh, she has an eye on me," Marik replied smoothly, reading from her expression who she spoke of. Despite herself, Anzu allowed her gaze to travel over his face and then down his body to his black shoes. She found it a bit odd how he had appeared right when she wanted to talk to him the most. A part of her was ashamed of that small fact, as though she had committed a sinful act with him that no one knew about. Perhaps her thoughts had appeared on her face, because he queried, "I doubt anyone thinks less than what we are doing, Mazaki." One of his smooth eyebrows rose. "With the way you are fidgeting, though, I suppose one could get the impression I'm trying to seduce you."

Anzu shot him a dark look, irritated with the amused glitter in his eyes. He straightened so he was no longer hovering over her, his hand gripping the pole loosely. He was taunting her again, just as he had in the park about the kids watching them. It was easier with so many other people surrounding her, especially in the subway. The majority of those that took the subway could care less what went on in other's lives and if two lovers were meeting there to elope. No one even looked at them, but she was certain that Isis Ishtar's eyes were on them simply because of Marik.

"Um..." _He isn't going to hear me, not with other people talking and the sounds of the train. _She raised a hand, hesitating, before taking his coat and tugging at it. He turned his eyes to her mildly, leaning down obligingly. "Why isn't Rishid or Malik with you?" She asked. "I thought Isis didn't trust you?"

"Malik and Rishid are dealing with some business matters that Isis left to them with an ancient artifact she found in the man's antique shop," Mark responded in an indifferent tone, a clear indicator that he found the whole of it entirely mind-numbing. "She didn't like me poking around and interrupting her business deals. Malik has a knack for tight-fisted old men, so she decided to go ahead and take me home because I was being bothersome." He smiled, a slow action that made it look even more wicked than originally intended. "I was actually hoping she would let me go home alone."

"If you hate it so much, why not try and get some freedom?" She demanded, a bit angry with Isis's treatment of him. "You haven't given her a reason to keep you locked in the house, have you?"

"Oh, not recently. Two words is all the reason she needs." He held up two fingers, his smile hardening a bit. "Battle City."

"But that's – " She began angrily, her voice rising. He put the fingers on her mouth, silencing her, but his eyes lost their playful gleam, replaced with something serious as he stroked her face with his gaze. After a moment, he removed his fingers, frowning at her with a deeply brooding expression. She watched him without any words, a bit uneasy with what was going through his head. His eyes were burning into hers with a force that made her skin tingle. His eyes shifted to the side and his bored expression returned. "...You should talk to her," she said after the pause of silence.

"No thank you," he calmly answered, his eyes returning to her face. "She doesn't listen. I've had quite enough of that for one lifetime." He straightened and she knew that if she tried to get his attention, he would ignore her. The subject of his confinement was one that seemed to upset him. She stared up at him with a fierce expression and then lowered her gaze, shoving her cell phone in her purse.

_Malik said that he thought that Marik should deal with it himself, but if Isis isn't going to listen to what he has to say, how can he? He's not willing to try to help Marik. I don't blame him; he doesn't need any more conflict with his family. _

When hers and Ishtars's stop came, Marik moved swiftly through the crowds while she was stuck between the other passengers. She stared, dumbfounded at how easily he parted people with such graceful movements. Inwardly, she cursed him since she had been intending on speaking to Isis about how she had been treating Marik, and then cursed him some more, jealous that he could do that and she, a dancer, could not even manage it. _But I suppose you have to be a little rude to do that, _she glumly reflected. Anzu was rarely ever rude. If she was, it was for good reason.

Not surprisingly, by the time Anzu stepped out of the train, she looked around to see that neither Marik nor Isis were at the station. She sighed, pushing a hand through her hair distractedly. After a length of time, she pushed the straps of her purse that had fallen from her shoulder and left the station to return home. She was a bit unsure of why Marik's predicament bothered her so much. _I always respected Isis, _she realized, _but how can I when she is acting so blind? I can understand Rishid, having to protect Malik from Marik his whole life. Isis is just being stupid, thinking that everything in Battle City was orchestrated by Marik. _Even though Anzu knew it had to be Isis's love for her younger brother that made her see things this way, it did not change how she felt about the elder woman's actions.

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Anzu glanced at the clock. Marik had said that Malik was finishing a business deal of Isis's. It had been over an hour since she arrived home. Surely Malik must be on the train to Domino or already back. She dialed Malik's number on her cell phone and waited patiently while it rang. On the third ring, he answered in his familiar, smooth voice, "Anzu." It always made her smile to hear him. He had a calming effect on her that was different than Yuugi. He always seemed so in control, even when he wasn't.

"Hey, Malik. I heard you were dealing with some stuff for Isis out of Domino," she brightly said.

"Oh? Did you talk to Isis today?"

"No, not really. I saw her on the train. I had visited Yuugi in Shibuya today and she and Marik got on from one of the stops. I wasn't really paying attention where it was. I thought it was weird that you and Rishid weren't there, but I talked to Marik and he explained everything." She knew by the pause of silence that Malik felt this was an insufficient response.

"I see," he finally said, his voice as steady as ever. She wished she knew what he was thinking. Only his eyes revealed the truth, especially when he was lying. "Listen, Anzu...I know you sympathize with Marik – I do, too – but don't you think it's going a little far to socialize with him every time you see him?" Before she could give the indignant reply that was hovering on the end of her tongue, he hastily continued, "He's not as bad as he used to be, but in case he gets some wild idea from the darker parts of his mind, I would prefer you not to be around to be the one he experiments it on."

"I can't believe you!" was all she could sputter, insulted. "You...you don't – "

"I trust him," he interrupted. "Only so far, though. He doesn't completely trust me, either, because he knows that I might let something slip to Rishid and he is sure to tell Isis, as close as those two are. That's just how our relationship is. You would have to live with us to really understand..." Anzu felt a pang of guilt, hearing the bitterness behind his words. This didn't seem like the conversation to be having with him over the phone. It was so difficult to understand what he really meant when he spoke. "I just don't you want you getting hurt," he added.

"That's nice of you," Anzu quietly said. "I can take care of myself, Malik, even against Marik. I want to be his friend. It's hard when everyone is continuously stomping on him, degrading him into nothing more than a caged animal."

"I'm not – "

"I'm talking about your _sister_, Malik." Now that she had gotten to the reason why she had called, she began to think she did not want to continue. There was such a long, tense silence from the other end that she feared he had hung up or she had stepped over some invisible line he had set up. There were sounds in the background, none of which she knew Malik made.

"I don't think this is an appropriate conversation to have over the phone," Malik told her suddenly. "I'm on the way home with Rishid. Can you meet me at the subway station? We should be there in about ten minutes." Anzu was already scrambling to her feet, launching herself across her bedroom to the door and wrenching it open. "Anzu?" He prodded.

"Yes, yes," she quickly told him. "I'll meet you there."

"Good."

She hung up without saying goodbye and fairly hurled herself down the stairs. Her mother poked her head from the kitchen, frowning disapprovingly at the noise. "I'm just going to the, uh, corner store, mom," Anzu assured, pulling the door open to the cool foyer and sitting on the step, shoving her shoes on and tying them quickly. "I won't be too long."

"Alright," her mother cautiously replied. "I wish you wouldn't take these fanciful trips when it's getting so dark. Be sure to get home before dinner is done. You won't want to eat it cold."

Anzu waved a hand distractedly as she pulled her jacket on and tucked her phone in one of the pockets. She shut the foyer door and then hurried out of the house, shutting the door behind her. She ran to the station, knowing that she wouldn't make it otherwise. Malik would usually wait, but she was uncertain of his mood at the present time. Since the things in Battle City, Malik had felt indebted to Isis at remaining confident of his good heart the entire time and helping the Pharaoh defeat Marik so that he could return to his body. She knew that he hadn't liked her remark about his sister; no doubt this was going to be an unpleasant conversation.

When she arrived at the station, she took one look at her watch and knew that it had been over ten minutes. She had had to start walking near the end, so out of breath was she. She looked around the people mingling, chatting to each other before heading home from work. Malik was easy to spot because of his colouring, so she knew after a few glances around that he wasn't there. _He must have left, _she guessed. With a dismal sigh to herself, she turned and collided with the person she had been looking for. She couldn't help a tiny exclamation of, "Oh!" from escaping her lips. "You're here!" She exclaimed happily. One of his fine eyebrows rose upward.

"Of course," he answered calmly. He gestured for her to start walking. They left the station, Anzu relieved that she hadn't been ditched like she had been expecting. When they were outside and on the sidewalk, he tentatively queried, "What exactly is going on, Anzu?" She cast him a curious look. "With Marik."

Alarmed, she burst out, "_Nothing! _I just feel awful for him, Malik. Would you want to be treated the way he is? I know that I wouldn't! And, now that I know he isn't at all as bad as he used to be, I want to get to know him better. I felt the same for you, too. Is that such a difficult thing to understand?"

"Yes," he replied honestly, choosing to not meet her furious gaze.

"Do you deny that Isis has been treating him like scum?" He nervously glanced to her.

"She's my sister," Malik helplessly told her. "What do you want me to say? I like Marik, now that he isn't deranged. Isis – "

"Forget that she ever helped you during Battle City, Malik, and tell me what you _really _think about the situation. There's obviously more going on at home that you're not letting me know. I want to help you – and Marik, as well – but I can't if you leave me in the dark like this." She paused, forcing him to do so. Her mouth turned down unhappily, an almost betrayed look in her eyes, "Or are we not friends anymore?"

"We are," he assured, raising a hand as if to place it on her shoulder, letting it fall instead, an awkward look crossing his face. "I couldn't explain things to you, Anzu. It makes me feel as though I am being traitorous to my family. I told you before that I hate that Marik isn't able to go out on his own and I wasn't lying. I had to go against both Isis and Rishid to make it so that he leave the house at all. I'm still trying to mend the tear that conflict caused. Marik makes it seem as though he doesn't care. I know he does and I did what I could. I'm not willing to go against my family for someone that used to, in a way, make life miserable for me." He gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry."

"It's...fine," she said, managing a tiny smile. "I understand. I just don't understand why Isis is being so stubborn about this."

For that, Malik offered no response.

_TBC_

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DIS: This chapter looked entirely different when I first wrote it. When I read over it, I only liked the beginning, up to the end of train ride. I deleted the last part and let this part sit for a month or so until I finally finished it. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed the second part. Please leave a review, telling me how you liked it. Constructive criticism is always accepted. Ciao!


	3. Fingerprints: Part III

DIS: I got some new music the other day for my iPod. One of the songs I downloaded was _This Is Our Town _by We The Kings. Kudos to the song for giving me inspiration for this chapter. Thanks to **Sakura Takanouchi, We're In Like Sin, The Duelist's Heiress, Journey Maker, CampionSayn, **and **Sennen Seeker **(Ah-ha! See, you caught exactly what it was that Anzu is so angry about, what with Marik being the only one being watched. Don't worry, the story will go into more depth about that. It brushes against it at the end of this chapter.) for reviewing. You guys rock! And now, part three!

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_Fingerprints: Part III_

Anzu released a soft sigh, staring at the envelope that she had received in the mail. It was suddenly beginning to dawn on her that her friends' and Marik's issues aside, she had her own. She had sent several applications to various colleges and most of them had come back in brown, floppy envelopes. She had sent an application to Julliard School of Dance in New York and was finally getting the response. Alas, she was receiving it in a brown, floppy envelope that she knew held a rejection slip just as the others had. All she could find the energy to do was stand at the mailbox and stare at the envelope.

_It's not like I have the money to go there anyway, _she reasoned with , she knew it was her entrance exams that were the problem. Although not a particularly academic school that was based on art and dancing, the school still demanded students applying to get a certain percentage on their entrance exams. Even though she did her work the majority of the time, there were her jobs and all the duel competitions she attended with her friends. Consequentially, she missed quite a bit of school and therefore the work assigned those days she had been gone.

Her fingers dug into the envelope and she ripped it into two, throwing the pieces into the street and running into her house, not even pausing to shut the foyer door or take off her shoes. Anzu knew her mother would get in on it about her running in the house with her slippers on, but she didn't care. She raced up the stairs and then threw her door shut, locking it and collapsing on her bed, curling into a tight, unhappy ball.

_I've wanted to go to Julliard for such a long time, _she raged in her mind, sobbing in her arms. _If I had studied more for my entrance exams, if I hadn't gone to all those stupid duel competitions – _She choked on a gasp, raising her head, shocked at her last thought. _But if I hadn't, my friends would have been in danger and I would have been here, oblivious. I would never know the truth of the Sennen Items or meet Malik or _anything_. Is that what I really want? _With no reply to that, she sniffed and rubbed her face, unfurling and turning to lie on her back, spreading her arms wide. Even as she told herself that she would stop crying, tears continued to stream down her cheeks in steady rivulets.

_I hate this, _she admitted to herself. _I hate that I have to always choose between two things that I love: my friends or Julliard, my old life or a new life. It isn't fair. _A grim smile tilted her lips upward. _I always knew it wasn't fair, but this is beyond unfairness..._

Sighing, Anzu reached out to her nightstand where her Chocolate cell phone was lying and slid the top up to access the buttons. She dialed Yuugi's number and waited until he answered cheerfully, "Hey, Anzu!" She almost smiled, realizing that Sugoroku Mutou must have finally broken down and bought a caller-ID for the house phone.

"Hey, Yuugi."

"Gee, you don't sound too well," he commented in a less enthused voice, a concerned tone masking his words. "Are you sick or something?" Anzu deliberated on lying and telling him that, yes, she was sick, but knew that would not be fair to him. He was supposed to be her best friend and she always told him when something bothered her. This time, it should be no different.

"Oh...Well, I applied at Julliard and they sent me a rejection notice today." She gave a shaky laugh. "I mean, I guess it isn't any surprise because obviously my scores for the entrance exams weren't that great, but I had at least passed, right? I didn't think I would need a higher score since it isn't really an academic school or anything. You know?" Yuugi gave an affirmative 'Mmm' sound. "And...Well, I wouldn't really be able to afford it, but I figured I could get a student loan or something and I had applied for next fall quarter so that I might be able to gather enough money. I had to find another job because I got laid off from my summer job at the beach. But, Yuugi, I had it all planned out!" She could hear her voice breaking and her disappointment breaking through. "E-everything..._Everything _was planned out." She sucked in a shaky breath and quietly cried. Yuugi remained respectfully silent while she shed some more tears over her day's disappointment.

When she had stopped, he said, "Listen, Anzu, I know you applied to a lot of schools, right?" She gave a feeble 'yes.' "You must have gotten accepted from others, so it's not a complete failure." He hesitated before nervously beginning, "I know that going to Julliard meant a lot to you and you risked getting expelled from school by working for money. You just have to keep moving forward. Heh...Jounouchi and I didn't get many acceptance letters, either, so you're not alone."

For a long moment, Anzu stared ahead of her, unresponsive and fuming. She was suddenly furious for Yuugi's words. She would never have snapped at him before because he was a precious friend and had been her friend since junior high. However, she coldly told him, "You guys never _cared_, though. All you two were focused on was stupid card games and stupid tournaments and let's see...PRIZES!"

There was a short, stunned pause before Yuugi began in a shocked voice, "Anzu, you know that's not true! We weren't – "

"Forget it, Yuugi. I can't talk about this anymore. Thanks anyway." She snapped the phone down and the call ended. She slammed the phone on the nightstand and the weak stand rattled ominously, threatening to topple over. "Oh, stop it," she snarled at it, trying to steady it, but making it jerk even more precariously. Letting loose a disgusted sound, Anzu abandoned it and sat up, pulling her legs up to her chest, circling her arms around them and pressing her forehead against her knees.

Anzu remained that way for almost a half hour, her eyes staring sightlessly at her black leggings before her phone rang. Her lips pursed as her ring tone, _This is Love _by Utada Hikaru, continued with its dance theme. Partially because she could not stand listening to anything that would remind her of dancing and because she wanted to know if it was Yuugi calling back, she unwrapped herself and without looking to see who it was, snapped the phone up and answered in a cool tone, "Hello?"

"You sound pissed," a soft, mild voice remarked. She relaxed a bit at the sound of Malik's soothing, accented voice. "Am I so lucky as to have put you in a bad mood or do I get to find out who made you like that?" She smiled in spite of herself at his light teasing.

"I'm not really angry," Anzu said, sighing a bit as she rested against her headboard, pushing a hand through her hair. She looked down at her outfit and almost sighed again. She was wearing black leggings, a caramel skirt, and a black turtleneck with the sleeves cut off. She should have had a good day with an almost perfect outfit, not mentioning the silver bangles around her wrist.

"Who are you trying to convince here?" Malik dryly queried. "Because if it's me, you're a far cry from doing it."

"I'm not," she stubbornly insisted. "It's just...I got a rejection letter from a school that I really wanted to go to and the whole reason I didn't get into it was because of my scores on the entrance exams." She paused, wonder if Malik would give the same response as Yuugi. She suspected that he wouldn't. Malik was much better at schoolwork than anyone she knew, perhaps even Kaiba, and had a way of making things seem easier. He wouldn't brush it off as a, "I failed too," sort of thing. "The truth is that I didn't spend as much time studying on my entrance exams as I should have and then there were all the days I missed for the dueling competitions and other things. I just feel like I wasted my time on things that were never really important to me personally. I only went to the competitions for Yuugi and Jounouchi."

"Good point. But think about it this way, Anzu – you can't have both things. As in, you can't have the memories and knowledge that you got from all of those dueling competitions _and_ the good score on the exams. It's just not possible." He cleared his throat. "And besides, I think I'd rather have you fail the exams by being at the competitions. After all, we never would have met, let alone me being alive. I _did_ need you during Battle City while Marik was being a psychotic ass."

She blinked and then laughed at that. "That's an accurate description of him, I suppose. Thank goodness he's not that bad anymore. I know you're right about all of that, Malik. I thought about it, too. It just...it doesn't seem fair."

"Ah, but when you have to choose between two things, it's never fair. Like choosing between wasting your night moping about your rejection letter or having a fun night out at, say, a club?"

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Anzu asked him, a bit surprised.

"If you want to call it that, sure," was the flippant response she received. She hesitated. She really wasn't in the mood to go clubbing where people would be dancing. It would just be a reminder of what school she had failed at. She felt guilty, too, because she had snapped at Yuugi when he had been trying to help her and if she went out to have fun after being that way to him...It just didn't seem right. He was supposed to be her best friend, wasn't he? And then someone else lingered in her mind, someone she knew would ruin Malik's light, friendly mood if she brought him up.

"Thanks for the offer, Malik, but I don't think I want to tonight. I'm not in the mood and besides, I think I just need to be alone for awhile."

"Alright, that's your decision. I'm still going, though, with or without you. If you change your mind before nine, give me a call. I'll wait if you want."

She bit her lip and then slowly asked him, "And, um, is anyone else going with you?"

"Maybe," Malik replied instantly, seeming to understand her current thought process. "Marik was supposed to go with me. He snuck out of the house about an hour ago, though, and none of us can find him, so I don't know what he's going to do. If he doesn't show up on his own, Isis probably won't let him come, thinking I'm incapable of keeping track of him. Rishid is still out looking for him."

"Malik – "

"I know, Anzu," he interrupted softly, "I know. My sister isn't the easiest person to deal with when it comes to Marik. I already talked to you about this, so drop it for now, okay? We had a nice conversation going, didn't we? Can't we keep him out of it for once?" Anzu said nothing to this, staring down at the tops of her slippers. She slipped them off and kicked them off the bed dismissively. "Anzu?"

"I'm going to let you go, Malik," she said. "I'll call you if I'm feeling up to going out."

There was a moment where he was silent before, "You do that. See you, Anzu."

"Yeah, bye."

After she ended the call, Anzu cradled her phone in her hands for awhile thoughtfully. With her attention redirected to someone else's life problems, hers seemed to drop away. Her depression over her rejection from Julliard was suppressed as she thought about Marik's disappearance. Something told her that she knew where he was. She stood up and grabbed her slippers from the floor and left her room down to the foyer where she slipped on her pliable, caramel-colored leather boots. The top went past the ends of her leggings. After doing the buckles on her boots, she pulled on a black pea coat and then left the house, shutting the door quietly behind her. _I don't think he would be at the park. Maybe somewhere equally peaceful and I know just the place. No one but maybe Jounouchi or Honda know Domino City as well as I do._

Anzu had to take a bus to the center of the city and she wound through several, family-friendly alleys (at least in her eyes) before she came to the back of an apartment. She climbed on the fire escape and on the third floor, slipped from the fire escape to the top of a building and continued on the rooftops before she came to a ladder attached to the side of a building. She climbed that as well and, sure enough, a figure was sitting serenely on an overturned milk cart. The building overlooked the entire city and it was easy to see the clock in the middle of the square. "Hey," she breathlessly said to Marik, smiling as he turned to raise an eyebrow at her.

"Did you lead Rishid or Isis here?" He reasonably questioned.

"No, and not Malik, either. I doubt they'll ever figure out where you are."

"Good. I want it to stay that way." He turned around without so much as a word of welcome. Anzu was unbothered by this, accepting that Marik was a man of few words. He had never really said 'hello' or any form of greeting the past two times she had spoken with him. She moved to stand by him and sighed, tucking her hands in her pockets and giving a slight smile of pride at having found him. Her smile turned puzzled, though, because it occurred to her that she wasn't even sure _why_ she had gone looking for him. "Is there some reason you came up here?" He turned to look at her, his eyes bored and even blanker than normal.

"Ah..." She considered telling him that she had gone looking for him. Expecting him to ask why, she abandoned that idea as she had no real idea as to why that was. "Not really," she lamely muttered, turning away from his gaze that seemed far too intense for her liking. He seemed even more withdrawn than usual, which was strange. She suspected it had to do with why he had left the Ishtar household. Filing that away to perhaps ask later, she continued on a safer subject, "I sometimes come here when I'm upset. It's relaxing and no one is likely to bother me."

"Hm."

"Were you going to go clubbing with Malik tonight?" She ventured to ask, turning back to look at him. He had averted his eyes to stare at the city.

"I was," Marik answered, "but I decided I wasn't in the mood to suffer his company simply so that I could leave the house, so I left by myself. Even if I wanted to go, I imagine that opportunity would be stripped from me for leaving." Anzu watched his face carefully. He was the only person that she could never read. His expression rarely ever changed and if it did, it appeared rather vague and gave her no more insight to Marik than before.

_Ah, that's it,_ she thought. _That's why I can't stop getting into his business. He's like my own personal little puzzle that I have to figure out, maybe even broken china that I need to fix. He never seems like he's really alive. In Battle City, there was so much more to him than there is now. It's like every time he goes home, a part of him dies inside. _The idea frightened her more than she would like to admit. The thought of someone killing anyone without physically causing harm was worse than anything she could imagine. She raised a hand as though to touch his shoulder, something she would do with any other person. She stopped herself, reminding herself that this was no ordinary person and she wasn't sure she could handle another rejection, even if this one was to be expected.

Anzu lowered her hand and sighed through her nose, clenching her fist in frustration as she closed her eyes. _But it's not just that I want to help him. I bet there is someone behind what he is showing others. He would have to lose complete control to show that person and unfortunately, Marik is too good at control._

"I assume you talked to Malik."

Her eyes flew open and she turned to stare at him, but his eyes were still fixed ahead of him. "Yeah...I called him earlier and he said you had gone missing. Rishid is still looking for you, by the way. I'm surprised he hasn't given up."

"I, on the other hand, am not," Marik blandly told her. "Isis disliked what I had to tell her and naturally Malik had to give his two cents. If he had stayed out of it, I might have finally won a battle. Rishid is forever the Ishtar's servant, so of course he is still out in the cold hoping to find where I am hiding. That way he can get a good pat on the head like the dog he is." Anzu blinked at the caustic words. His expression had not changed despite the clear resentment underlying his words. This time when she reached out to touch him, she laid her hand on his shoulder. "I'm not interested in your pity." He brushed her hand away, as she had expected.

"Do you think I pity you?" She demanded, storming around to stand in front of him. He raised his eyes to her face with a slightly annoyed look in his eyes.

"Girl, I'm not in the mood – "

"I don't care if you're in the mood or not, Marik," she snapped back, riding over any other words he might have had to say. Perhaps it was because she was irritated with the lack of inflection in his voice when he spoke about his supposed family or how he stared ahead without looking at her, but he had nicked a nerve. It didn't help that she had been riding on an emotional rollercoaster all day, either. "Maybe I do pity you a little because let's face it: you have a messed up life and all because Isis is a little pissed off over Battle City. She's too blind to see whose fault it really was and Malik is trying to keep his family in tact instead of standing up for what's right. I can understand Malik's reasons, but I don't understand why you're just letting yourself being treated this way. Everyone _feared_ you in Battle City and then when you're given your own body, you turn into just another average, weak human."

Marik had endured her words until her claim about his weakness. His eyes narrowed and he stood up so quickly that she stumbled back a step. His expression was one of pure malevolence, one that she had seen several times during the Battle City finals. She stared at him, a mix of confused emotions running through her. A part of her was glad to see that he was still him underneath the mask he had kept in place, but the other part was fearful that he might slap her or push her off the building. He reached out to grab her and she tried to back away further. His hand latched onto her wrist and he pulled her forward, putting a hand on her shoulder before she crashed into him.

"Don't be stupid. Do you want to back off the building?" He released her and stepped away, as though the close proximity was uncomfortable for him. "If you're so interested in my personal details, Mazaki, then I shall tell you why I haven't reverted back to how I was when I had possession of Malik's body." He gave a dark, dark smile to her that caused her to shiver a bit. "There are several reasons, but other than Isis's unwillingness to listen to anything I have to say, I should tell you that I am avoiding as much conflict as possible for Malik's sake."

"What?" She sputtered. "Malik's fine, though. _You're_ the one – "

"No, Mazaki," he cut her off, "_I _am just a diversion from Malik. Isis knows the truth, but she can't stand to think about it. If she did, she would take Malik back to Egypt and that's the last thing he wants. I don't like my position – I hate it, even. I get as much freedom as I possibly can. If I was to disappear permanently, which I might add is something I am entirely capable of, she would uproot her house and position and Malik's relationships and return to Egypt. Malik doesn't know this, so I would appreciate you keeping it to yourself. I enjoy his occasional help, even if he hinders me more than anything."

"...Isis has never been this cruel."

"Perhaps she is cruel," he calmly remarked, "or perhaps she is only doing what she thinks is best for her family." He moved towards the ladder, calling over his shoulder, "Family is, as you might have noticed, all the woman has."

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DIS: Ah, yes, more intrigue of the Ishtar family. You can see that this is veering towards a Malik/Anzu/Marik triangle. I have never written a successful triangle before. Shall we see how it progresses? I have a few ideas as to what else I am going to do with this. It's hard to get any Marik/Anzu action because Marik is such a neutral, yet violently emotional character. Kudos to that, even if it hard for us fanfiction writers. In any case, please leave a review and give me any helpful feedback. It would be much appreciated. Ciao!


	4. Fingerprints: Part IV

Thanks to **iCraft, The Duelist's Heiress, Sakura Takanouchi, CampionSayn, Silential, **and **super-rat** for reviewing. I'm a bit baffled, to be honest. Who would ever think that people are interested in thornshipping, besides myself? Hehehe, so long as I keep converting people...Here is part four! Enjoy!

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_Fingerprints: Part IV_

Outside, it was pouring. Rain was clashing against the windowpanes and it was literally the only sound in Anzu Mazaki's home. She was sitting at the window in her room, her body turned awkwardly so that she could rest her arms on the windowsill. Her cheek was pressed against her arms as she watched the droplets of rain slide down the glass of the window. She had narrowly missed being soaked on her way home from her talk with Marik. She had been so shocked by the news Marik delivered to her that her walk home had been slow and she was absorbed in her thoughts the entire time.

_I wonder if Marik went home after talking to me, _she mused, staring out the window and heaving a dismal sigh. A knock sounded on her bedroom door and she turned her head, calling, "Come in." Her mother entered, smiling in greeting. Anzu hastily pasted a smile onto her lips to smother the miserable feelings that were drowning her. Although her mother had been home when Anzu returned and they were a close combination of mother and daughter, Anzu found that she was unable to confess her problems of the day to her mother.

"A boy is at the door for you, Anzu," she said, pushing her bedroom door open a bit more. "He said his name is Malik." Anzu blinked, surprised. "Do you know him?"

"Yes, but...um...Well, I'll go down and see what he wants, I suppose..." Anzu lifted herself from the window seat and followed her mother out of her room. _Why is Malik here? I told him I didn't want to go dancing tonight. But Yuugi never called me back like I expected...And really, I don't want to stay home staring at the rain all night. I think I will end up driving myself crazy if I do._

"How come you've never told me about him, Anzu?" Her mother inquired as they descended the steps. Anzu glanced at her. "He's a very nice boy, but I've never seen him in my life. I'm surprised at you."

Guiltily, she mumbled, "Sorry..."

Her mother had seated Malik in the living room, where he was staring curiously at the pictures on the wall. Not for the first time, Anzu wished her mother would not insist on keeping family pictures hung up on the wall. He must have heard them come in because he turned and flashed a smile at them. Despite Malik's naturally easy attitude and mannerism with other people, he seemed uncomfortable in her living room. When his eyes kept flickering to her mother pointedly, she was beginning to understand exactly why it was. Mrs. Mazaki must have known, too, because she gave a polite smile to Malik and then left the room. Malik released a breath and said, "I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to talk to you in front of your mother..."

"Yes, well, what are you doing here? I told you I didn't want to go anywhere tonight." Anzu kept her eyes carefully averted, staring at his shoulder rather than his face so that he didn't see that she _did_ want to get out of the house. Dancing, on the other hand, was out of the question.

"Frankly, I don't really care," he cheerfully replied. When she cast him a dark look, he became more solemn and said, "Listen, Anzu, I don't think you realize how awful you sounded on the phone. You sound even worse now and forgive me, but you look like you need a drink or something." Anzu opened her mouth to protest that; he simply rode over her, saying, "We don't have to go dancing, alright? I'm not going to push it after your rejection letter. You really do need to get out of the house and stop wallowing in depression, especially on a rainy night. That will just turn you suicidal. Trust me on this, I know."

Her mouth tightened into a thin, angry line as she stared at him. He simply stared back, his eyes narrowed slightly in warning. Malik, just like some of the more notable men in Domino, was as stubborn as a mule. Clearly this was one thing that she wouldn't be able to charm her way out of. It wouldn't matter anyway because she was not feeling in the mood to charm anyone either way. Instead, she blew out a breath in defeat and said, "Fine, but let me get dressed in something else." He frowned and eyed her.

"What's wrong with what you're wearing?"

"It's _raining _if you haven't noticed."

"Your point?" He held up an umbrella that he was holding that she hadn't noticed before. "We're not going to get wet. Just get a jacket and some boots." She sighed to indicate just how fed up she was getting with his I-am-the-man-so-you-must-listen-to-me act. Honestly, he was reminding her of Seto Kaiba, ordering her about and treating her like an incompetent fool. She reminded herself that Malik's family was about as rich as Kaiba.

She went upstairs to grab her purse and came back down to see that her mother and Malik were talking at the bottom of the stairs. From what she gathered, Mrs. Mazaki was warning Malik about something, though she was unsure of what. By the time she joined them, her mother was silent and Malik looked even more uncomfortable than before. "Have a nice time," her mother chirped, brushing a kiss over her forehead and leaving them to go to the living room. As Anzu was putting on her boots from earlier, she heard the television blasting from inside the house. She took her jacket and shut the house doors telling Malik, "Let's go."

Malik went first to open the umbrella and waited for her to shut and lock the foyer doors. Once she was under the umbrella, they began to walk towards Domino Square. "Since you don't want to dance, what do you want to do?" He queried. As though on cue, her stomach rumbled. She blinked, blushing while he simply raised an eyebrow. "I see...Would your stomach like to elaborate on that a bit further?" Her cheeks turned redder and she nudged him irritably.

"Be quiet. I haven't eaten since before I talked to you on the phone." Malik sent a questioning look, one that she ignored pointedly by staring off to the side. She could not tell him that she had gone off looking for Marik after talking to him and that they had talked about him; that when she got home, she had been too stunned to do much else but stare out the window. No, none of that could be said, not when she had nonverbally promised to keep hers and Marik's conversation to herself.

"That's unfortunate," he said after a pause. "It's a good thing I left before having dinner, then, because I'm hungry myself." She smiled up at him. Malik was not stupid – he knew that she was not telling him something, but was choosing to ignore it because of her aversion of it. Truly, she was not sure what she would do if she didn't have a friend like him. "After that, we can decide what we want to do." She nodded.

"You really didn't have to drag me out of the house tonight," Anzu told him after over ten minutes of silent walking.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You wanted to go to a club," she said, raising her eyebrows, "and now you won't be able to go." He eyed her thoughtfully and turned away, giving a small shrug of nonchalance. "Malik, honestly. You really should just go. I can walk back home – " He heaved a sigh, interrupting her words.

"Dear Ra, Anzu, give it a rest. I could go clubbing any night if I wanted to. You had a bad day and frankly, my day wasn't so great myself. I would rather spend time with you than deal with women throwing themselves at me all night. I wanted to take Marik out to the night life in Domino to liven him up a bit. It had nothing to do with me." For a long while, neither of them said anything. Anzu was unsure of what Malik was thinking, but she could not help but remember the love-hate emotions Marik seemed to hold for his lighter half. It seemed sad that Marik hadn't even wanted to go out when Malik was specifically trying to help him.

_It hurts, _she realized. _It's not even me that the idea is hurting, but would it hurt Malik to know that his efforts would have been unappreciated? _"So...Did Marik not come home tonight then?" She ventured

"No," Malik answered quietly, "he didn't. Isis had Rishid come home when it started raining so badly. Honestly? I didn't take you out just because I knew you were feeling bad. I had to get away from Isis. I love her, she's my sister, but she's been getting on Marik's case worse than ever lately. Today she wouldn't stop raging about this and that." Anzu comfortingly twined her arm in his, unable to give any words to his situation. He smiled slightly at her. "In any case, none of us know where Marik is. Rishid is usually able to find him. That he wasn't today is a bit worrying. I wouldn't be surprised if he left Japan altogether."

"I don't think he did," Anzu muttered. Malik looked at her. "It's just, um...there are a lot of really good hiding places in Domino. It's a big enough city with enough people. Rishid might have just overlooked him." She gave a quick smile of reassurance. He nodded slowly, turning her words around in his head. Satisfied that he didn't suspect her of knowing something she shouldn't, she bowed her head and stared at their feet walking in time with each other's. "So...What did my mom say to you, Malik?" He made a strangled sound, as though he were a dying animal.

"That...is not something I wish to discuss," he mumbled. They could hear the roar of crowds and the music from the center of Domino at that time. "Let's just say that your mother is a very..._protective_ woman when it comes to her children." Anzu peered up at him, seeing that his mouth was twisted unpleasantly. His face suddenly brightened and she followed his gaze to the sushi bar just ahead of them. "I'm in the mood for sushi, how about you?"

"I'm in the mood for _food_," she said with a grin.

The two of them entered the sushi bar and settled at the counter, where a revolving disk was. Anzu peered down thoughtfully at the plates, clasping her hands eagerly. Her stomach rumbled appreciatively at the steaming fish. Breaking her chopsticks, she waited until some squid came by, picking up the plate and happily eating it. Beside her, Malik chose some scallops, seeming to enjoy his fish as much as her.

"By the way," Malik said as they ate and chose plates from the revolving disk, "not to bring up bad news, but now that you can't go to that dance school of yours in New York, what do you plan on doing? - Apply again?" Anzu was silent for a moment, watching the revolving dishes. Having finished her squid, she now chose another plate of sushi. After having some food and getting out of the house, the rejection from her dream college did not feel as bad now. Which, seeing as how there were far worse problems in the Ishtar household, was no surprise.

"No," she answered at last. "Applying again would be a waste of my time. After all, I can't really change my exam scores. I mean, I _did_ want to go there because it's one of the best dance schools and I _want _to be a dancer, but I don't have enough money saved up to even get through one quarter there. It just seems kind of...useless, I suppose, when I know that I don't really have the means to get into Julliard." She raised her eyes to Malik's, who was frowning, his chopsticks clamped between his lips as a thoughtful expression clouded his face.

"You might be able to retake your exams," he slowly told her, removing the chopsticks from his mouth. He stared across him, as though in deep thought and then looked down to the revolving disk. He sat, silently watching it and then took a plate from it, adding, "And I'm sure I could lend you some money to go to college, Anzu. Ra knows we have enough of it as is."

"No! I'm not going to take money from you, Malik! Besides..." Anzu hesitated, trailing off as he glanced at her. Marik had known that day when Yuugi moved out that she felt the tight strings that held her friends together breaking and had insisted on hearing her say so. She had been able to pour out her worries with him; however, now an added worry had landed in her mind: if she left to New York, not only would she be leaving Yuugi and the others, but Malik, too. She could never accept his money to go to college and then just abandon him in Japan. Now that she thought of it, how could she abandon Marik, too, with the state of things? "...I _do_ want to go to Julliard, but I don't want to go to New York," she admitted quietly and then hastily filled her mouth with sushi. Malik was gazing at her with an unreadable expression that reminded her too much of Marik's expressions. Not even his eyes gave her an indication of what he was thinking right then.

"I suppose not," he commented after a pause, turning back to his own steamed abalone. "Wouldn't want to leave Yuugi and all those memories, would you?"

"I feel like Yuugi and I are in two completely different worlds. He and everyone else except for Honda seem to be in Shibuya while I'm still here." She gave a tiny laugh, saying, "Maybe I'm just being ridiculous. I've known Yuugi since junior high, so we should be able to stick real close, right? He and Jounouchi are closer and here I am..." Anzu sighed and her lips curled into a genuine smile as she turned to look at Malik. His expression was as blank as before, almost on purpose. "You really do seem like the closest person I've got, Malik."

His usual, handsome grin tilted his mouth upward. "I'm glad to hear that. Now...Let's finish this and go do something." She nodded and hastily finished her shrimp while he took the last bite of his steamed abalone. Malik insisted on paying – and she did not disagree, seeing as how he picked out the most expensive sushi – before they left the sushi bar. The rain had subsided somewhat, yet there were still small droplets sprinkling down on them. Malik shook out the umbrella and held it above them as they walked across the square.

Walking close to him and realizing how much she would miss him and everyone else if she went to New York eased the depression from earlier. Anzu knew there were many things that they could go do, but when it came to a night out with friends, she had always enjoyed clubbing the best. Of course, she had never gone dancing with Malik and when she went with Yuugi and her other friends, they danced in a whole group and rather goofily, too. She could not recall ever dancing with a guy, just the two of them. She had danced with Shizuka or Miho all the time, but a guy...?

Glancing at Malik, she thought, _It will be a new experience. _"You know what? I'm feeling up to dancing after all." Malik glanced at her from underneath the shadow of the umbrella. She thought she saw a hint of an amused smirk on his lips, though she could not be sure.

"Then I'll be sure to find us one of the best clubs in Domino." His eyes glinted mischievously. "I think I might even be able to surpass you on the dance floor, Anzu."

"We'll see about that!"

The dance club they found was crowded and there was a mingling scent sweat, perfume, cologne, and alcohol. It was dim inside, with flashing lights above, giving just enough light for the dancers to see each other. It was an intimate environment with bodies crushing together, an environment in which seduction and heartbreak occurred, where friendship became stronger. Anzu had only been in this particular club once with her friends. They had aspired to go to every club in Domino, an idea that Anzu and the other two girls had come up with. The boys had been more or less indifferent to the idea. For Jounouchi, it was a chance to show off to the ladies, to flirt with him without really meaning anything by it. For Honda, it was also to show off, but not for just any girl, but Miho.

A sliver of uncertainty entered her mind at the thoughts of her friends. _Do I really want to come here without them? _She wondered, biting down on her lip hesitantly. _It has always been us that went dancing together or I went by myself. I know that things are changing, but is this too big of a step for me?_

"Don't worry," Malik's voice cut through the throbbing music. She raised her head to look at him, her brow furrowing the slightest bit in worry. He grinned down at her, winking as he said, "I won't let any strange guy steal you from me." It had only taken his familiar grin to calm her and all uncertainties were swept away. Malik _was _her friend, if not one to whom she had been friends with for an extended amount of time.

"Well, come _on _then," she told him, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the crowd. "I have nothing to worry about, then, right?" He chuckled in dry amusement at this.

Dancing, in Anzu's generation, was all about body contact. She was no idiot, seeing as how she had been practicing dancing for years. She had danced with guys – plenty, in fact, with how often she used to go to clubs – and it had always seemed the same. They were either very crude dancers, bad dancers – like Jounouchi – or innocent dancers like Yuugi had always been. There were some guys that had the beginnings of good dancing, but not quite. Malik, she learned immediately, was a good dancer. And even more startling was that as soon as his hand was on her waist, an uncommonly uncomfortable heat spread out over her stomach abdomen.

Perhaps she had imagined it, though she could not be sure as the next moment her body was swaying against Malik's, her thighs pressing to his, her hips hovering close to his. She realized that she was terrified. Her entire body was filled with that foreign heat, encompassing her and flooding her senses. She tried to remain calm, tried to look in his face as if they were merely dancing as friends, as they intended. His eyes were intense when she met them and despite the slight tremble in her fingers, she could not look away.

_What is happening? _She wondered, frightened by the sensations stirring in her body, swirling and bumping against each other. She stifled a gasp as his hands, so slender and strong, slid up her waist, pulling her closer. Her heart was thundering in her heart anxiously, feeling his hips against hers. Her cheeks were burning from such close contact with him.

"I thought you were such a good dancer, Anzu," Malik purred teasingly, "but you look a bit out of focus." There was a glint in his eyes, akin to that of which she remember when he was still misguided about his father's death. "Are you?" He queried, the look vanishing from his eyes, replaced by an honestly curious one.

"Ah...No," she said quickly. She was snapped out of her daze by the conversation. It was normal, contrary to their dancing. She knew how to move her body in time with his, but the friction was causing tiny frissons up her spine and gooseflesh to pop up on her skin despite the warmth of the club. His blinked slowly, likely in disbelief, and his hands slid down to her hips and she released a tiny, breathless sound as he rolled his hips against hers, too provocatively. "Malik – " She was certain he had not heard her, but he flashed a tiny smile. _Friends friends friends _was repeating in her mind.

She had never been so confused in her life.

The song abruptly ended and the DJ called out something. Anzu never heard because Malik released her and suggested, "Let's sit." She nodded, thankful. They wandered away to the tiny tables that were lined around the side of the room. He settled her at one and disappeared to find them something to drink. Anzu, meanwhile, had shoved a hand through her hair, gnawing on her bottom lip.

_I don't understand. Malik did all those things on purpose, like he was trying to..._ She blushed embarrassedly. _..._seduce _me or something. But he knows I only think he's a friend, doesn't he? Did I ever imply anything else? I mean...Yeah, he is really good looking and his dancing leaves little to the imagination, but I've never really wanted him that way. I always thought he didn't, either. Maybe I'm overanalyzing things. That must be it. Malik couldn't possibly want anything else from me. _Convinced, she gave her head a firm nod and shook her head out, dropping her hand to wait for Malik.

He returned shortly and handed her an opened bottle of water. She cracked the seal of the cap and took a thankful drink of the water. He remained standing, surveying the crowd and tapping his water bottle in time to the music. She set her bottle down and sighed, saying, "Well, I don't think either of us is the better dancer. As much as I hate to admit it, you're as good as me." She was desperate to return her thoughts to normality. The glance he threw her, however, caused warnings to shriek out alarms in her head. Before she could so much as question why it was that he was looking at her that way, he placed his bottle on the table and leaned over, pressing his lips to her.

For a moment, she was too shocked to do anything. A bit mindlessly, she parted her lips in a wordless gesture of surprise. That, if she had considered over it, was a severe mistake on her part. Or it would have been if Malik had been a more inexperienced kisser. Without truly meaning to, she returned his kiss, if only to save the embarrassment of a scene in the middle of a crowded place. That, too, was a mistake. It encouraged him and she murmured a bit throatily, "Malik...," against his mouth. He ignored her and moved his mouth to her throat. She might have simply allowed him to continue if she had not looked up and saw a familiar male eyeing them interestedly. Her eyes shot open and she lurched forward, knocking Malik away. "Marik!" She spluttered.

Malik groaned irritably and muttered, "Of all the times – "

"_No!_" She pointed at Marik standing behind Malik, his expression as blank as ever. Malik turned, frowning, and then blinked at seeing Marik standing there.

"Well, well," Marik drawled, raising an eyebrow, a corner of his mouth tilting upward, "this _is_ unexpected."

_TBC_

X

DIS: I am a sad individual. For the longest time, I couldn't continue on this chapter because I was stuck on the dancing part. I was going all fan-girlish at the scene. Anyway, I think Anzu's reaction was reasonable enough. Anyway, please leave a review telling me how you liked it and no bombs under my bed because of the cliffhanger! Ciao!


	5. Fingerprints: Part V

_Fingerprints: Part V_

"Well, well," Marik drawled, raising an eyebrow, a corner of his mouth tilting upward, "this _is_ unexpected." Anzu felt her face burning from shame, embarrassment, and a multitude of other emotions. Marik had a way of sneering down at her in a rather smug manner that could draw any number of shameful emotions from her. At that moment, she was not only feeling guilty for kissing Malik because of that disdainful expression on his face, but because she had never intended for that to happen, had never wanted it to happen.

"Marik," Malik remarked, frowning, clearly irritated with being bothered. "What are you doing here?" Marik tilted his head the slightest bit. He accomplished a far darker frown, looking both impassive and petulant with the male in front of him. The tension between the three rose to an incredible height that caused Anzu to shift in her seat and glance between the two. While Marik could not be intimidated by any tangible shape or form, Malik's face was growing tighter with the stare being directed at him. Anzu could see a very cold emotion forming in Marik's eyes, one that gave her cause to fear for Malik's life. Even though he had acted rather too boldly for her liking, he was still her friend.

"Stop," she said, getting to her feet, placing herself between them. She raised her hands in front of each of them. "Don't start anything here, please. We're in a public place. Marik was probably looking for you, Malik. He knew that you were going to a dance club, so maybe he wanted to check it out for himself or – or something." She looked at Marik helplessly, asking, "Right?" He turned his frosty gaze to her, his mouth seeming to turn down even further. She could not think that was possible. Her hand trembled a bit at the stare. She knew that frown too well.

It was of disgust.

Affronted by the look, she dropped her hands and stared back at him. She was not entirely sure why it bothered her that she had lost his respect. Likely it had to do with the fact that Marik did not show anyone respect, not even himself at times. He never explicitly showed her that he respected her, but that he endured conversation with her, let alone her presence, was enough.

Marik asked in his bored voice, "Friends do have a way of becoming more when you have nothing left in life, don't they, Mazaki?" His words cut her deeply and she stumbled back a step in shock. It was not so much the way they were presented – Marik had never been one for saying things kindly; it was the truth of them. She _didn't _have anything in life at that moment. She had no job, having expecting an acceptance letter from Julliard, but she lost that, too. Her friends had split up and she was left with Malik who, up until that night, had been a very close comfort to her.

"I would suggest you back off, Marik," Malik told him, gently moving Anzu to the side to face the darkness that had originally come from him. "I don't care what you say to Isis, Rishid, or even me, but you have no right to make assumptions of Anzu." Perhaps Anzu's provocation had kindled a fire in Marik from earlier that day because the smirk that slid onto his lips was positively frightening. Beside her, Malik stiffened. He clearly was surprised by Marik's return to his original behavior.

"No," Marik loftily responded calmly. "I shall do as I please, Malik, as I always have. You don't have Isis here to defend you." A few people were looking over to them, causing a bit of anxiety to enter Anzu's mind. They had clearly picked up on the conflict happening between them and the last thing Anzu needed was Honda – or someone else – discovering that she had been caught in an argument between the two Ishtars. Wetting her lips, she reached out and touched Malik's tense arm. He glanced down at her.

"Malik, please, leave it alone. He's only being honest." She watched as a perplexed expression crossed Malik's features while one of dry humor flashed across Marik's. Nervous of both reactions, she quietly told them, "Let's just leave. People are watching us. I don't really...I don't want any attention, okay?" She raised her hands and slowly lowered them, palms facing downward. "Just stay _calm_." Marik turned away from them to survey the crowds with a look of utter disinterest. Malik was staring at Anzu, his expression transforming into one of outrage. However, he sealed his lips and led them out of the club, his jaw set firmly. She knew as soon as they were outside that Malik was likely to erupt into a passionate display of defense for her even though she had requested he did not. Marik would simply watch him with a bored expression, as he did with everything.

As they stepped out the club, the bouncer glanced at them, his eyes narrowing. He no doubt saw the anger surfacing on Malik's face and Anzu's uncomfortable gait. The cool air was welcoming as they stepped down the sidewalk a bit, away from the people streaming in and out of the club and the bouncer's watchful eyes. Marik followed them silently, his hands tucked in his pockets.

"You assumed wrong," Malik hissed at Marik as soon as the male had paused before him.

"Did I?" was the calm response. "Not that I particularly care, but correct me if I'm wrong, but when two people are kissing, it is mutual, is it not?" Marik's smile was sharp as a razor, a subtle warning that Malik was to be careful in the pursuit of an argument with him. "Was I mistaken, Malik? Did she force it on you? Or was it the other way around?" His smile widened a bit at the last question, as though he had known all along what the answer to that was. Malik opened his mouth to respond, but his face twisted in brief confusion. He did not, in fact, have a complete answer for that. His eyes found Anzu's. She was watching them with a drained expression. She did not want to hear them fight.

_At least it's not raining, _she vaguely mused, although it was a bit chilly out from the dampness. "I'm your friend, Malik," Anzu quietly told him, afraid of how that sentence would effect him. She averted her gaze, looking at the wet pavement. "You have always been my friend. I am sorry, but I don't...I don't think I can see you more than that." She raised her eyes, looking at Marik instead of the one to whom her words were addressed. Strangely enough, his gaze was on her, as well, analyzing her. There was no dark smirk, no malevolent expression, no ice covered eyes. It was the same expression she faced ever since meeting him in that park: impassive, yet with eyes that analyzed everything. Right then, she knew that his opinion of her depended on her answer. Why it mattered, she was not so sure. She only knew that she still had not figured him out as she wanted and had not helped find his _proper_ place in the Ishtar household, if there even was one.

Her answer seemed to satisfy him.

It did not, however, satisfy Malik. He did not appear hurt, but his feathery brows did knit together, giving him an even more confused expression. She could hardly bear to see him looking so lost. "I don't understand, Anzu," he admitted after a pregnant pause. "I thought I made my intentions towards you apparent." She parted her lips, but he rode on determinedly, "I _did _like you as a friend, it just...developed into something more. Those things aren't in my control. Did you really not see that?" She pressed her lips together and considered over his actions, his words since becoming friends with him. Nothing seemed out of place.

"No...Never," she answered, dropping her gaze again.

"You have not answered my question, Malik," Marik interrupted, his demeanor as casual and unworried as possible, his hands remaining inside his pockets, his head tilted to the side in an almost cocky gesture. "_How_ did I assume wrong?"

"You thought we both wanted it," Malik slowly said, turning to look at Marik, "and that we both initiated it, but I was the only one interested and I was the one who kissed her." Anzu raised her head and saw Marik's eyes narrow slightly. His perception was far better than her own. He must have seen something in Malik's face that she did not because when she looked up into Malik's features, they were surprisingly calm after she had rejected him. "I apologize for that, Anzu. I shouldn't have forced it on you."

_Would it make him feel better to know that I liked it? _She wondered despondently. _Should I tell him that I'm attracted to him? _That, in fact, was quite true. Her body would have seized the opportunity to draw him closer, to let him do what he wished, to entice her feminine, naïve senses if he so wished. Her mind, however, was plagued by several factors, one of which had only just recently been introduced. He was her closest friend now and she had only seen him as such. Furthermore, she could never enter into a relationship that was based solely on looks. It would never be fair on Malik, nor herself, for how could she truly call it a relationship when it would only be lust?

And then there was Marik.

He should never have been allowed to be on the list of reasons she was rejecting Malik, but he somehow fit into it. She remembered the first time she spoke to him after he was returned to his own body, his insistence in hearing her speak of her friends, his accurate assumption and the way he listened without interrupting with some opinion of his. But somehow, he was the person that she had spoken to about her worries, the person that had comforted her with his rough words at the time. And she had grown intrigued by him, seeing his view – the factual view, really – on things in Battle City. He had said he would listen to her if she went to him. The few times she did talk to him, he did listen and he supplied her with pieces of his own life that she drank in thirstily.

But that was not the reason he was on her mental list. Beyond the disgust in his eyes, she had seen the slightest – _slightest _– glimpse of fury at her actions. Marik's noble sacrifice of his own freedom for Malik's had made her admire him on some level, even though he would never call it noble himself. His easy manipulation of his own emotions for Malik and overall selfless behavior made her admire him. His understanding of her feelings towards her friends, something that Malik had not quite grasped as easily, inclined her to become closer to him, to try and understand him the way he seemed to understand parts of her.

_When did I become so involved with Marik? _She wondered, shocked at these sudden revelations. _When did I become so dependent on his respect for me? When did I _ever_ care what he thought about me? When did I ever hold him in an almost higher esteem than Malik? _That question was easily answered, however. As soon as she found out that Malik was, initially, on Isis's side when it came to the conflict in the Ishtar home, she had taken Marik's side and had made that clear to Malik - and Marik, as well.

All these thoughts ran through her head in the long silence that had fallen between Malik and Anzu after his sincere apology. Marik was immune to anything uncomfortable. He did not care what people thought of him, had no qualms with doing anything crude or unusual in public. Awkward silences did not exist in his life as it did in Anzu's. She could say to Malik, "It's okay," but that seemed inadequate. He might not show it, but she felt she might have hurt his feelings a good deal. She knew that experience; her own feelings had been severely beaten when she realized that the Pharaoh had no romantic interest towards her.

"...I think I should go home," she said instead. Malik nodded soundlessly. Marik's lips curled at the simplicity, even cliché, of her statement. "Why don't you and Marik go on home? I can walk home myself." Malik opened his mouth to protest and then seemed to think better of it.

"Alright...Goodnight, then, Anzu."

"Goodnight," she murmured and walked past both of them, desperate to escape the situation she had been placed in. Her pace increased until she was nearly running through the still-busy crowds of Domino Square. Her mind was fogged with thoughts of Malik's kiss, the quiet intensity between Malik and Marik, her vague standing with Marik, and somehow her mind returned to Marik's statement of her having nothing.

As soon as she escaped the crowding of the square, she _did_ feel as if she had nothing. Without the jostling bodies, she felt more alone than she really was. She paused to lean against a tall, wooden fence, not caring that it was damp. She rested her head against it, closing her eyes to shut out the painful thoughts she was having. She was not prone to depression, let alone self-pity. At that moment, however, she wanted to cry for herself and give into some selfishness for once. Before she was given a chance, the sound of the sole of shoot scuffing against the street startled her into lurching away from the fence, her eyes flashing open. She stared at her visitor, who mildly returned her gaze.

"Malik was, not surprisingly, in the mood to walk home alone," Marik drawled. He eyed her curiously and then encouraged, "Go ahead and cry. I have no intention of stopping you, let alone comforting you like you modern-day human females seem to think men enjoy doing." Anzu stared a moment longer and then she did cry, quietly and blindly. Marik did as he promised. He not only did not try to stop her or comfort her, but he let her cry in peace, forgoing any taunts that might have entered his mind.

Eventually she knelt on the ground and covered her face, rocking on the heels of her boots. She cried from frustration, from the loss of friends, from the loss of _one_ friend, from the complications of life, and most of all, from her addled emotions. Things were never easy, she knew that, but she had not imagined they would become like this. Why did everything have to fall apart in one day? When the tears halted their flow, she was reduced to sniffling pathetically and wiping her face, desperately trying not to smear her mascara. She raised her head to see that Marik had not moved and still did not move. She was mistaking him with a man of chivalry; he would not offer his hand to help her straighten.

Stumbling back into an upright position, she sniffed and tucked her hair behind her ears. He watched her, as he watched the entire world, looking deliberately detached. She was surprised, then, by his question that contradicted both expression and emotion, "Did you like it?"

"Like...what?"

"Even if you do hang out with that Katsuya, I highly doubt you are without intelligence, Mazaki," Marik said. "I would not ask you about your crying, now would I?"

She blinked and then blushed in spite of herself. Of all the things for him to ask... However, he had always rewarded her with honest answers to her questions, even if some might be evasive and so she raised her head and answered, "Yes." Marik merely stared back, as if she were an interesting specimen that was to be observed and recorded. "I didn't lie to Malik. I think he's good looking, but I don't date people for that." _Why am I telling him this? _But like arousing her curiosity, Marik had a way of making her say things that she did not mean to. "I've always thought of him as a friend. He's been so nice to me."

"He's always liked you," Marik informed her in a frank tone. She turned a startled gaze to him. "Oh, yes, Mazaki, I knew," he said in response to her unspoken question. His lips curled unpleasantly. "He was right – he made it clear what he felt for you. You were the only oblivious one. Isis knew it and she was too focused on being a tyrant in her own home to bother with much else. Rishid knew it and he's as blind as they come when it comes to any type of relationship. Malik knew I was never any threat to you physically. Like any human man with weak notions such as _love,_ he feared other men and was suspicious of their intentions. Did he never question about your views towards me when you so _passionately_ complained about my confinement?" His voice was dripping with sarcasm, both because of Malik's human emotions and her naiveté.

"...Yes, he did," she said aloud, recalling it all too well. It had been the day she rode the subway with Marik and had called Malik later. They had met and he had cautiously asked her, _"What exactly is going on, Anzu? – With Marik?" _And as she considered it, the only times Malik had made himself obvious was when it concerned Marik, as though he was obstinately jealous of his darker half. Anzu's eyes widened and she darted a shocked look to Marik. He smirked, seeing her comprehension. "That's why Malik was so defensive today. He...thinks...?"

"Malik has a clever mind in many things. His lifestyle does not permit him intelligence in things such as relationships and family because of his lack of them." Marik raised a brow and mockingly asked, "Do you still say he is just a friend? Does this sway your feelings in any way?"

"No, he has always been and will always be my friend." She hesitated. "And if it becomes anything more, then no emotions would be involved. It would just be...physical. That's all I really have to offer Malik besides my friendship. I care for him, like I care for Yuugi and Jounouchi, maybe even more now so, but it doesn't feel like it could extend to something more."

Marik held a short, thoughtful look in his generally emotionless lavender eyes before he commented, "You mortals and your feeble emotions. It is no wonder there are so many problems in this world. But...This has happened before, hasn't it?" His smile was cruel. "With little Yuugi."

"How do you know that?"

"He is _very_ open in his feelings, far more than any person should be. Then again, he was the abiou of that sickening Pharaoh."

Anzu did not have the strength to defend either Yuugi or Atemu. At that moment, she was exhausted from the day, both emotionally and physically. Once again, Marik had slid into her mind without needing to ask anything before making an assumption. He had assessed her with his ever-watchful gaze and had come to a correct conclusion. She wanted to lie down on the narrow street and cry herself to sleep. She had thought the night would end wonderfully. She would walk home with Malik, chatting about the night's events, and nothing out of the ordinary would happen. Anzu did not, of course, blame Malik. He had made a mistake. He was human and anyone could have misinterpreted things. She only wished it hadn't been Malik. He was, in a way, precious to her as a friend.

"Do you not have human emotions?" She abruptly asked Marik. His smug demeanor faded and his face clouded with a dark emotion. "Love? Grief? Greed? Do you feel any of it?"

"Unfortunately," he answered, "I do. There are some emotions, Mazaki, that I have yet to experience and have no intention of doing so. Despite being human now, there are easy ways to make myself seem as inhuman as possible. I prefer it that way. People choose not to bother me."

"I think you have a heart, Marik."

"It does not perform as yours does," he assured her in an unbothered tone. "It pumps blood throughout my system and that is the extent to which it works similarly to yours."

"You care for Malik, you know." He did not deem her statement worthy of an answer, his expression unmoving. She half-expected him to abandon her there, but he remained standing there. Anzu was glad that he did not leave as she expected. Somehow, she managed to lift her mouth in a smile. "I think you deserve better than you have." This, too, seemed a statement that he was uninterested in responding to. And he still did not leave. Sighing, she asked at last, "Why are you here, Marik?"

"For all the reasons I should be here, Mazaki," Marik said. It was only then that he turned and walked away, as if he had been waiting for her question so that he might deliver his answer. She watched him, confused, as he strolled away from her. She pushed a hand through her hair, watching his shadowy shape travel languidly down the street before moving the opposite way to where her home lied. Marik's cryptic words would not keep her up all night because she knew that she would never come up with the answer. Only he knew the reasons for why he had come to her that night rather than go home or wander around Domino more.

_His reasons are his own, _she thought tiredly, _just as my reasons are my own. _

_TBC_

X

DIS: Ooh, a quicker update. I actually stayed up until midnight on a school night to finish this chapter because I had the ideas laid out and _had_ to get them down or else I would forget them. I'm hoping that next chapter will be longer. I'm shootin' for over ten pages...Especially since there was only three scenes in this entire chapter. Anyway, please leave a review, telling me how you like the story so far. Ciao!


	6. Fingerprints: Part VI

DIS: This chapter was inspired by _Eden _by Sarah Brightman. Anyway, thank you to everyone that reviewed and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Longer than the other five and with more analyzing into Anzu's relationship with Marik and Malik.

X

_Fingerprints: Part VI_

Anzu heard vibrating beside her bed and blinked slowly, squinting against the lone gleam of sunlight that managed to escape through the space between her curtains. Blinking again to dissolve the sleep from her eyes, she reached over to her phone that was charging on her nightstand, sliding it up to read the text message she had received. For a moment, she stared blankly at the four words, her brow furrowing in confusion. _We need to talk, _it said. Her eyes drifted to the name that declared who it was from and she felt her stomach lurch uncomfortably, recalling last night's disaster.

Her phone vibrated again and she clicked 'Read' to see the second text message that Malik had sent. This one read, adding onto the last, _Without Marik around_, as if she had been considering actually inviting his other half to the meeting. She pushed the covers off her legs, letting the cool, morning air drift over her bare legs. Shivering, she pulled down the long shirt she used as pajamas and sat with her thighs braced against the bed. After a moment of staring down at her cell phone, she slid it closed and sat it on the bed, moving to the window and snapping the curtains back. She eyed the settings outside, her mouth turned down. There was nothing remarkable about her neighborhood. Her window faced the narrow road that led down to the Domino Square and the busier street. A high, wooden fence opposed her house, obscuring the small yards of the houses on the other block. It was still early yet, with the sun peeping out from behind the coloured clouds that hung overhead, rays of sunlight clashing against objects, casting the ground in shadows.

Anzu rested her forehead against the window, closing her eyes. She was afraid to answer Malik's text, let alone talk to him after last night. He was attracted to her – _in love with her_, as Marik had implied – while the only thing she wanted from him was friendship, even if she _did _enjoy his kiss. Even though she was afraid of the confrontation, she worried most about seeing the pain on his face that she had expected last night. If there was one thing that she would not be able to handle, it would be seeing Malik hurt by her rejection.

There was a _buzz buzz buzz _from her bed that caused her to open her eyes and turn to stare at her phone, hesitant. She trudged back to the bed and settled on it, sliding it up and viewing the text message. Her stomach dropped as she read the message: _Don't ignore me, Anzu, I know you're awake._

Licking her lips, she pushed 'Reply,' and sent a simply text in reply, _When and where do you want to talk? _As she pressed 'Send,' she only hoped that she was not making a mistake. She unplugged her phone from the charger and snuggled into the blankets, holding her phone in her hands, her back to the sunlight that would have been gleaming in her eyes. Only a minute after she had sent her reply, her phone vibrated again and she hastily slid it up, reading the curt message: _6 your house. _She sent an, _Ok_, and waited close to five minutes; when determining that Malik was not intending on replying, she sighed and turned on her back, gazing up at the ceiling with an anxious expression. Her eyes wandered to the clock that read 8:13, the red a.m. light glowing.

There was no way that she would be getting anymore sleep that day. She released her phone, shoving a hand through her mussed hair, stressed. She had hoped that all the talking that could be done had been done last night. _Problems don't just disappear, Anzu, _she reprimanded herself irritably. _You can't just expect everything to go away, especially when you, yourself, have not forgotten about it. _She bit her lip, turning her head towards her door. _How was I to know that Malik liked me that way? It didn't really seem like it. I mean, _not really_, but I don't know...maybe I was just..._ She trailed off, deflated. She had been too occupied with her thoughts about Yuugi and her other friends that she would not have noticed Malik's seemingly obvious hints.

She picked up her phone again, her lips twisting. _Speaking of Yuugi... _He hadn't called, which was remarkable in itself. He usually called if he felt that she upset by something he had done and yet she still had not heard from it. She knew that she would be the one to apologize this time, even though she did not particularly relish the idea. _It _was_ my fault, though, _she confessed to herself. She began to dial his number, stopping himself. _I better wait until later. He sleeps later than Malik does, so he won't be up for awhile. _Closing her phone, she dropped it and then stood up, deciding that it was time to shower, get something to eat, and try to get through the day without taxing herself.

However, even in the shower and later, when she was blow drying her hair, she could not stop thinking about the events that had unfolded yesterday. It seemed to her that her life was falling apart before her very eyes. She had snapped at Yuugi and he hadn't called back, a rare and dangerous occurrence, Marik was suffering in the Ishtar household for Malik, and said Malik has kissed her, representing his quite serious emotions for her. Furthermore, she had broken down in front of Marik, bawling like a little baby. Yet, he had encouraged her to cry. It was not like he was repulsed or amused by her crying, but seemed to hold some level of understanding of why she needed to release her tense feelings.

_He makes less and less sense to me the more I get to know him, _Anzu thought as she shut of her blow dryer and combed her hair, fluffing it accordingly and then leaving the bathroom to get dressed. Putting on a pair of skinny jeans and a lightweight, white shirt with wavy short sleeves, Anzu left the comfort of her bedroom, going downstairs to where the kitchen lied. Her mother, seated comfortably at the table, looked up as Anzu entered the kitchen. Anzu had arrived home later than expected and snuck upstairs, past the living room where her mother had been, to avoid any awkward questions when she was already emotionally drained. Despite being only slightly better than last night, Anzu knew she had to face the questions that her mother surely had churning around in her head.

"You look tired," her mother commented as Anzu went to the counter and took a Cinnamon Raisin bagel from the bag. Anzu plugged in the toaster, popped each half of her bagel inside it after separating them with a knife, and took out the cream cheese while her mother continued, "I heard you come in last night. I was going to ask you how your night went, but you seemed to want to get to bed fast, so I figured I'd wait until today. How did it go, Anzu? Was that Malik boy very nice to you? If not – "

"He was fine, mom," Anzu interrupted a bit more quickly than she would have liked. She purposely kept her back to Mrs. Mazaki as she waited for her bagel to be done, a butter knife clutched in her hand. There was an ominous silence behind her and Anzu was certain her mother was frowning suspiciously at her back. Taking a deep breath and preparing a smile, she turned and beamed at her mother reassuringly, "Really. He took me out to eat and then we went dancing. It was all good fun. It's not like he'd try anything. After all, we're just friends."

Just friends...

The two words clanked around in her head and after allowing Mrs. Mazaki to scrutinize her for a moment longer, she turned around to remove her bagel from the toaster and spread cream cheese over the two halves. _Just friends, _Anzu thought bitterly. _Yeah, that's what I thought. That's what I always meant for me and Malik to be, but he had to develop feelings. I almost wish that I could say I felt the same, but I _can't_. My heart doesn't work that way and I'm not going to start dating him and kissing him just to see if it will work out. _She paused in spreading her cream cheese, her eyes widening in a horrified look. _Oh, please..._Please _tell me that Malik is not going to suggest that. I don't know if I'll be able to say 'no.' I don't want to hurt him more than I already have._

"Anzu?" her mother's quiet voice brought her from her reverie and she hastily continued to spread the cream cheese, unresponsive. After molding the two halves of her bagel together, she determinedly moved to the refrigerator to get the milk out and pour herself a glass. "Anzu?" She focused on the right amount to pour in her milk, focused on stepping on the cracks on the tiles on the kitchen floor, and focused on the exact angle the milk was placed on the shelf. "Anzu, would you please look at me?"

Hesitating, Anzu raised her head from staring at the tiles. There was a pause in which Mrs. Mazaki simply stared at her, not speaking, her expression blank. After a moment, she looked away, running a finger over the rim of her currently empty coffee cup. Anzu could hear her heart pumping oxygen into her bloodstream, hearing the rapid _th-thump, th-thump, th-thump _echoing in her ears. Her mother was too perceptive when it came to once glances. Anzu prayed to whatever god that would listen to her that her mother could miss it this time, prayed that –

"You're in love with him?" the elder female murmured, meeting Anzu's gaze.

Startled by the question and the way her mother looked at her – sad, proud, thoughtful – Anzu blinked twice, baffled at how she had drawn that conclusion. Had her prayers been answered? She hardly wanted her mother to believe that was she loved Malik that way, but it was better than her knowing the truth. At least, in Anzu's opinion. Sighing, Anzu turned away briefly to retrieve a plate for her bagel and took that and her cup of milk to the table, sitting across her mother. "No, mom, I'm not. I love him, like I would love Yuugi or any of my friends, but I'm not _in_ love with him." Anzu tore a piece of her bagel off, taking a bite out of it and watching the play of confused expressions that crossed her mother's face.

"But it seemed..." Mrs. Mazaki trailed off and shook her head, saying instead, "Well, I suppose that is good. It's a bit too early for that serious of a relationship." She reached over and patted Anzu's hand. "I can tell that something happened last night, Anzu, and you're not telling me. You know I won't freak out."

"I know," Anzu agreed, popping the piece of bagel in her mouth and chewing. Once she had swallowed, she continued, "I'm still trying to figure out everything that happened last night myself. The only thing that went right was the dinner. But when we were dancing, stuff...changed." _Well, that sounds real intelligent, Anzu, _she sarcastically noted to herself. _"Stuff changed." Yeah, nice. Real nice. That's going to make her even more suspicious than she already is. _

And it did. Her mother's eyes narrowed in a signal of warning. Anzu could not help but think to herself that her mother would be a fantastic feline if she was reborn as one. "Stuff?" She repeated lowly, her grip tightening a bit on the coffee cup. Anzu stuffed her mouth full of bagel so that she could avoid answering any question that might be introduced in the rant of her mother's that was sure to come. "What do you mean, 'stuff,' Anzu? That does _not _assure me of that boy's intentions!" Anzu stared and then began to chew furiously. "I already have a good idea of what he was doing! No doubt doing that disgusting dancing that boys do these days. It might as well be a mating call!" Anzu almost choked on her bagel as she tried to swallow it. Taking a quick swig of milk to force it down her throat, she almost gasped with relief.

"Mom, _seriously! _Malik isn't like that. This is why I didn't want to say anything. I'm not sure yet what happened. It was like...I don't know, the air between us changed, if that sounds any better." Her mother was still holding a dark, disbelieving look on her face. Anzu sighed, a bit irritated, and asked, "Can we just drop it now? I don't want to talk about this right now." Mrs. Mazaki obligingly fell silent, standing up and made herself another cup of coffee. While she drank her coffee, Anzu finished her bagel and milk, obstinately looking down at the table so that she would not have to look at her mother, who was no doubt watching her. She could feel her eyes boring into her bowed head.

"Did you have sex with him?" she asked after Anzu had risen to her feet, dishes in hand. She nearly dropped them at the question, feeling her cheeks warm in embarrassment. Instead, she fumbled with the cup that had been balancing on the plate and with a hand on it, turned to gawk at her mother, who merely raised her eyebrows in question. "It's a reasonable question, Anzu. If the 'air had changed' between you two – "

"I am _not_ going to talk about this with you," Anzu interrupted, turning to deposit her dishes in the sink. "I didn't do _anything _with him except – I mean..." Anzu clamped her mouth shut, seeing a flicker of interest in her mother's eyes. She pursed her lips together angrily whereas her mother's curved upward into a smile. She had always known that her mother was overprotective, but this was ridiculous. Then again, she had never gone out with a guy that she supposed the latter female would consider a potential boyfriend. This thought in itself nearly caused her to groan aloud. "He _kissed _me, alright?! And I liked it, but he has feelings for me and I don't want that from him, I just want to be friends! And now I'm supposed to talk to him and I'm _afraid! _Afraid that I won't be able to reject him because – " Anzu stopped herself. No one needed to know that Marik was the one that kept her from encouraging Malik's advances, that he was the reason she had kept her wits about her after the sizzling kiss of Malik's.

Briefly overlooking Anzu's fumble, Mrs. Mazaki smiled at her and said, "Thank you, Anzu. I just wanted you to be honest with me." She ushered her over to her and Anzu meekly moved to sit in the seat beside her mother, who pulled her head to her bosom and stroked her hair comfortingly. Anzu closed her eyes and circled her arms around her waist, feeling like she was six again, running to her mother's arms after a particularly bad day at school. "Your feelings _will _work out eventually. Trust me..." Anzu did. If there was one person that knew human emotions, it was her mother.

After a few minutes of remaining in her arms, Anzu reluctantly pulled away, saying, "I have a few things to do before I see Malik today." She paused, uncertain, and then admitted, "We're meeting here to talk. I don't suppose you could...?"

"Clear off?" Her mother finished with a dry tilt of her lips. "I suppose I could do that small favor for you. Be lucky your dad is on a business trip or you would have a _much_bigger problem then getting me out of the way." Anzu laughed in agreement. Mrs. Mazaki ran a hand over her daughter's head comfortingly, smiling. "Go on and do what you need to, Anzu."

Nodding, Anzu left the table and moved to the doorway, thankful that her mother was far more understanding mother than most were. Feeling a strange tinge of anxiety, she paused to glance behind her. Her mother was watching her, an unusual mixture of sadness and confusion on her face. When Anzu's eyes landed on her, she hastily dredged up a smile, a similar reassuring action to Anzu's. Unnerved, Anzu returned her smile with a tremulous one of her own and then left the kitchen, her brows knitting together in concern. What could have caused that expression on her mother's face?

Shaking it off for the time being, Anzu dashed up to her room to grab her phone, purse, and a jacket and returned downstairs. Zipping up her jacket once she had it on, she moved to the foyer and slipped on some black flats. She left the house shortly afterward, considering where she was going. She would probably see Yuugi later since she was going to Shibuya to talk to Shizuka. Out of all of her friends, she was the only one that she felt would understand her current predicament, except for Mai; as it was, Mai was unreachable since no one had heard from her for a little over a year. The last time they had even seen her hadn't been in pleasant circumstances, either.

_Shizuka is the only one who knows that I've been talking to Marik, too, _she reflected, feeling cool air drift over her unusually hot face. _She's more accepting than Jounouchi or even Yuugi would be. I could never talk to the guys about kissing Malik. It's strange, too, because I've never had to hide things from them. Everything that I thought about, everything that happened in my life, I could tell them. I guess I got more of a...girl's life. _That, Anzu realized, was completely true. There was a line between men and women when they were friends, one that could not be crossed. For Anzu and her guy friends, there had never been a line because nothing strictly female-related happened and they were comfortable enough talking about girls. Jounouchi had no qualms about raving on and on about how sexy some girl's body was. The only time that line really revealed itself was when the guys whispered about some porno they had watched and Anzu respectfully kept her distance unless they brought it to school. In that case, she stole it. Now, however, it was different. She was not only fraternizing with that Jounouchi and Honda considered the enemy, but she had kissed Malik and ended up finding comfort in Marik of all people.

When Anzu entered the bustle of Domino Square, she could not help but feel a bit overwhelmed. She was keeping secrets from Malik and she was keeping secrets from Yuugi, Jounouchi, and Honda. (Though she suspected everyone was out of the loop from Honda and vice versa with how antisocial he had become as of late.) A pang of unease entered her as she recalled that the secrets she was keeping from Malik were from Marik, that Marik knew all about how her feelings were manipulated when it came to Malik, and how he knew everything about her steadily fading friendship with Yuugi and the others. _The only person I have no secrets with is Marik, _she thought dismally. _I've barely been speaking to him for two weeks. _And yet, she had confided a good deal in him. _No, _she corrected, _it's just that he doesn't need to be told things. He understands without me needing to say a word. _

She paused before descending into the subway station, feeling even more irked at her revelations than that morning. _The only relationship that is stable is the one I have with Marik and I'm not sure he even considers me a friend. I don't even know if I consider _him_ a friend. _Sighing to herself, she emptied her mind of her negative thoughts and bought a ticket to Shibuya and only a few minutes later, a subway slid up and she boarded it.

Wanting nothing to do with her current thought process, she watched people on the subway. She had never actually observed her surroundings before or at least not the people around her. She wondered if their lives were as complicated as hers, if not more complicated. Across from her sat a wizened, elderly man with a crumpled gray suit. His eyes were red and he kept rubbing them, as though to stay awake. The woman beside him was only a bit older than Anzu and sat applying layer after layer of cosmetics. Her clothes were expensive and fashionable, her skin flawless and perfectly tanned. And on the other side of the old man was a mother, who rocked her baby absently, staring across from her, her thoughts seeming to be elsewhere.

The sight made Anzu inexplicably depressed. Where had these people been before she met them? How had she never noticed them? And, on another level, why were they on this bus? Who were they? Had she truly been so self-centered that she never thought to consider over the people that she was mingling with on this earth? It made her shiver, horrified and frightened without truly meaning to be.

_I must be losing my mind, _she thought as her stop came up. _Or developing a bad case of chronic depression._

She followed the wave of people that cascaded off the subway and found that that she was just another person in the world, just another person deluded into believing they were the center of the universe, that they were the only one with problems, that no one else was suffering nearly as bad as she was. This only made her feel worse for her ignorance of her fellow human beings.

And she knew it was the type of topic that Marik or Malik would relish in arguing with her about.

Firmly pushing the thought of either of the Ishtar males, she left the subway station and walked cautiously through Shibuya to wear Shizuka Katsuya lived with her mother. Otogi's game shop was only a few blocks away from the apartment complexes. She thought of popping in and saying goodbye and dismissed it in the same instant. She had to get some female advice from a friend before seeing anyone else that day. She took a glance at her cell phone. It was about fifteen minutes past ten. Shizuka would be awake by then and once she was finished there, she could call on Yuugi.

She lost herself in the apartment complex for awhile, having forgotten exactly which set of apartments Shizuka lived in until finding her way into one of them and knocking on the apartment number that she believed her friend lived in. Thankfully, Shizuka answered the door and positively beamed at seeing Anzu at her door. "Anzu! You should have called, we could have had breakfast together. Mom already left to work. Come on in." She ushered her in and Anzu entered, smiling as she slipped her flats off and followed Shizuka into the living room. "This is so unexpected! I'm glad that you came by, though. Jounouchi..." Nothing after that registered in Anzu's mind as she surveyed the welcoming surroundings, reflecting Shizuka's own warm nature.

Shizuka left briefly to get them tea and returned almost immediately, still chattering away. Anzu took the cup proffered to her and in front of the couch beside her friend, taking a cautious drink of the tea. Shizuka blew on hers for a moment, the room becoming quiet without her voice filling the silence. "I needed to talk to someone, Shizuka," Anzu confessed Shizuka had taken a drink of her own tea. "I would have called you, but...I needed to see you instead. It's so hard saying things on the phone."

"Mm," Shizuka nodded, "I agree. What's wrong, Anzu?" She set her teacup on the ground, reaching over to take her hand. "I heard from Jounouchi that you got upset with Yuugi about something yesterday over the phone."

"That's the last of my worries, to be honest, but I am going to see Yuugi today to apologize." Shizuka nodded, giving her hand a comforting squeeze before withdrawing it and allowing Anzu to collect her thoughts, remaining quiet. Anzu stared down into the green contents of her tea, seeing her reflection break from the small ripples in the cup. She sighed and, deciding that the direct approach would be best, said, "Malik kissed me." She glanced at Shizuka, looking for an outraged or disgusted expression. Instead, Shizuka merely looked sympathetic, as though she understood that Anzu was having trouble with her conflicting emotions. "I...I did like it, Shizuka. Malik's cute – well, beautiful, really – but he... His feelings are more than that for me and I couldn't ever get into a relationship with him where I just want him for his looks and he wants something more. I'm sure there are enough girls that want him for that. It would just hurt him. And besides, he's been such a good friend. I don't want to ruin our friendship." She bit her lip. Should she even mention it? "And there's...well, there's...him."

"Him?" Shizuka repeated, puzzled. "Who?"

"Marik." This time Shizuka's expression did change. She looked nervous, her eyes darting to the side as Anzu's eyes rose to hers. "What is it? I can tell you want to say something."

"I've been thinking about him, actually, ever since you mentioned him when I last saw you," she reluctantly admitted. "It seemed like you were getting close to him, maybe more than you wanted. I don't know him, Anzu. Maybe he has changed. Yuugi and Jounouchi can pretty much accept Malik, but Marik? To Jounouchi, he's the one that put him and Mai in the shadow realm. And to Yuugi? He almost killed him, Atemu, Malik, and all of his friends. Forgiveness isn't going to be easy in coming. If you can trust him as much as you do, I can, too. I can't ensure the same thing for those two, though."

"I know," Anzu sighed, leaning heavily against the couch and letting her head tip back. "But there's a lot more to it. I'm not even really friends with Marik. It's just that...whenever I have something on my mind, it feels like I could go to him and he would listen and he would understand what was wrong. With other people, it feels like they're constantly sympathizing. He only contributes so much to me when I bleed myself out, but it just seems enough. Does that...does that make any sense at all?" She turned her head and was alarmed to see an expression on Shizuka's face that was horribly similar to the one that her mother held that morning. "Shizuka, why are you looking like that?"

"Just thinking," she answered, smiling faintly. "Do you like him, Anzu? Is he a good person?"

Anzu considered the question. _Did_ she like him? It was strange; for all the times that she thought about him, she had never really asked herself whether she liked him or not. _Was _he a good person? And did it even matter? He was, at most times, vile and with very little emotion. He had no real interests and did not seem to act entirely human at times. But did she like him? Despite all his shortcomings, _could_ she like him as she did her friends?

"If you like him," Shizuka added, seeing the struggle Anzu was having with the question, "then you can talk to him, you accept the negative parts of him, and can depend on him. I love Jounouchi, even though he can be rude and acts like a pig sometimes. And, really, Anzu, if you feel that Marik understands you no matter what the situation, then isn't that the same as depending on him?"

"...I guess so."

Shizuka took a drink of her tea. "Do you like him more than Malik?"

"To be honest, I don't know anything when it comes to Marik," Anzu said, becoming uncomfortable with the strange questions. "I don't like him the way that I like Malik or Yuugi or anyone else. With them, seeing them smile makes me smile. I can be totally carefree with them and have fun. Marik is just such a somber character. I can't turn his words into a joke because most of the time, what he says is in earnest. If he initiates a conversation, it feels like he's letting me see a piece of him, trying to gain my trust, and I think he hates that more than anything. No one can be completely alone and that's what he feels like right now." _That's how _I _feel, _Anzu added secretly to herself.

The two were silent for a moment, mulling over what Anzu had just said.

"I'm not trying to imply anything," Shizuka slowly told her, "but that was how I felt with Otogi. He listened and memorized my expressions. I did the same with him and there was just this _connection_ that I didn't have with anyone else. I'm not saying that you've got it in for Marik or anything, I just want you to know that I _do_ understand what you're saying, Anzu. I wish I could help you, but I can't."

"Then help me with Malik, Shizuka," Anzu said desperately. "You had to turn down Honda once, didn't you?"

"But it wasn't the same. Honda never kissed me." She paused and took a drink of her tea. "Drink your tea before it gets cold. It'll help." Anzu turned to her tea and drank it morosely. How could she say to drink her tea when she was going through what she, at least, considered a crisis? "Is he in love with you or does he just like you?" She ventured to ask.

"I don't know."

"Do what you think your heart wants, Anzu. Mom always told me that, even when I was a kid. I bet that's what she told herself when she had to leave dad." Shizuka sighed quietly. "I think love is the hardest emotion that humans experience, don't you?"

"No, I think friendship is."

There was very little talking done after that and once Anzu had finished her tea, she hugged Shizuka at the door and then left towards where Yuugi lived. She dialed his number and since Grandpa Mutou answered, she asked for him to tell Yuugi that she would be dropping by. In his usual energetic manner, he agreed and then they said their farewells before hanging up. She could not help but think about what Shizuka had said. She knew that she wasn't in love with Marik – she knew the emotion well enough to make that deduction – but it still left the question of what feelings she _did_ have for him. She promised herself that once she dealt with Yuugi, Malik, and hopefully got Marik off house arrest, she would think more thoroughly on that.

Anzu came to the Yuugi's house and rang the doorbell, turning the knob and poking her head in. She and her friends had always done this with each other since they had been together for so long. "Hellooooo? Yuugi?" She stepped in and shut the door behind her. "Yuugi?" She called again.

"Coming!" He answered from upstairs. She heard a loud stumbling of his feet on the stairs as she kicked her shoes off and went to meet him. He nearly barreled into her and gave a sheepish look. "Sorry...Um, do you want anything to eat?" She shook her head.

"No, but thanks." She hesitated. "Listen, Yuugi...I'm so sorry about lashing out at you yesterday."

"Oh...Well, it's okay, Anzu." He smiled. "I shouldn't have been so flippant about it. I know how much you wanted to go to school in New York. I was going to call today to apologize, but – "

"You don't have to apologize. You shouldn't have to. It was my fault." She sighed. "I don't really know what I'm going to do now."

"You'll figure out something. You're good at that. Why don't you hang out here for awhile? I'll call Jounouchi and the three of us can go out for lunch and stuff. It'll be just like old times." He beamed at her, totally unaware of how unlike the old times it would be. They wouldn't be hanging out at their usual haunts, Burger World, or the old arcade or the Kame Game Shop at the calm corner street. It wasn't Domino City, it was Shibuya. And, for her, Domino City only signified all the trouble she was going through at that moment.

"Yeah, let's do that," she agreed. "I have to be home by six, though. I've got some other stuff to do..." He tilted his head, appearing curious, but unlike Jounouchi, he asked no questions. For that, she was thankful.

By the time Anzu had left Yuugi's, she was exhausted from running around Shibuya with her two friends and she ached from laughing at Jounouchi's antics. It had seemed, for one day, that nothing had changed between them. She knew better, though. When she got home, it was ten minutes before six and she felt like stepping into Domino had caused a great boulder to sit on her shoulders and weigh her body down. So long as she was in Shibuya, they would be her friends, but if she wasn't there, they forgot about her. She always called them, not the other way around. That was even the case for Shizuka.

Anzu put her things in her room and lay on her bed, waiting for when Malik would arrive. She wanted to get this over with so she would stop stressing about it. She did not have long to wait and heard the rumble of a motorbike outside her window. She waited impatiently while it shut off and a few minutes later, the doorbell rang. She heaved in a deep breath and stood up, leaving her room to answer the door. Her mother had been gone when she arrived, obeying her promise to be out of the house when Malik called. A part of her wished Mrs. Mazaki was still there.

Opening the door, she offered a small smile to Malik, who returned it fleetingly. "My mom's out of the house, so if you want to start yelling, you don't have to worry about her charging at you with a steak knife," she said as she let him in and shut the doors. He paused in removing his shoes, looking at her questioningly.

"Why would I yell?" He asked.

"You might," was all she said. Malik eyed her, saying nothing, and then stepped from the foyer into the house with her closing the doors. She ushered him into the living area and felt herself twisting her fingers anxiously. It was as if she was being inspected and was hiding something.

"I'm not going to yell, Anzu," he told her in a soft voice, "and I'm not going to cry. I didn't come here to make you feel bad, but to explain myself better. I wasn't comfortable doing it in front of Marik, who has been throwing snide remarks at me about this ever since he picked up on it. I'm not after you just because you're pretty or because you're the only person that has treated me like an actual human, okay? It's more than that. I _tried_ to make you see it, I really did. I'm not surprised you were oblivious. I've never been good at subtleties." He paused. She was facing away from him, twisting her fingers painfully then. "You won't look at me?"

_If I do, then I'll have to look at your face and I'm afraid of seeing you hurt, _she silently answered him. She stiffened when his hands took her shoulders and he turned her so that she was facing him. After a strained pause, she raised her head to look at him. She prayed that he didn't kiss her again.

"Maybe you think I'm stupid, Anzu, but I'm not. I wish you wouldn't treat me like I am."

"I never did," she protested.

"Do you think I didn't notice last night?" He released her shoulders and stepped away, an irritable expression on his face. "There is a very good reason why I want to hear you reject me _without _Marik around. You looked to him before Marik stuck his nose in our business and you defended him even though he was insulting you. It was bad enough that you got into spats with me about letting Isis have so much control over him."

"He wasn't insulting me, Malik, he making an observation that ended up being right. And yes, I did fight with you because Isis treats him like trash. I don't know why you're getting upset about him in the first place. He's..." And yet again came the title problem. Should she call him a friend or not? At the moment, she had no choice. "He's like a friend, Malik."

"He sure as hell doesn't consider you a friend, trust me on that." Her face contorted into a wounded expression. He sighed and lifted his hands, but dropped them a bit helplessly. "I'm not here to fight with you about him, Anzu. I just want to know where we stand, okay? I know I'm not a great person – I've done bad things – but you admit you like me, right? On some level?"

"As a friend," she confirmed.

"And you wouldn't even consider trying? To at least see if it would work?"

It was painful to hear him say those words. Her own heart tightened and she wanted to reach out to him and hug him. There was a bit of desperate hope in his eyes, begging for her to at least _try_. But she knew that if she did that much, she would be unable to find her way out of the relationship. She would dread hurting Malik more than now, would be addicted to his kisses, to the feel of his hands on her skin. And she knew that if she was put in that position, she would have to use Marik to pull herself out and it would kill Malik. Marik, she discovered, was his weak point; he would hate to know that she would choose Marik over him, lie though it might be.

"No, Malik," she told him after her inward battle. "I'm sorry, but I know that it wouldn't work. It would only hurt you more if I started dating you. I don't want to be one of those girls that just date guys for looks. I want to preserve our friendship rather than ruin it. Please tell me you understand."

For an instant, she feared he didn't. He didn't try to hide that he was hurt by the rejection as he did last night. After a few minutes in which neither of them spoke, he said in a low tone, "Yes, I do. I would rather have your friendship than nothing at all." He was as experienced as Marik in hiding his emotions. He smoothly placed his mask in place, giving him the guise of collecting himself. His smile was beautiful and perfect as always.

Perhaps he was trying to reassure her, but it only broke her heart. As Anzu felt tears spilling on her cheeks, she raised a hand to her face and turned her head away. She was certain that if she had looked at him, she would have seen his mask crumble into nothing but dust. "I'm sorry," she whispered miserably. "I'm so sorry, Malik..."

_TBC_

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"_Did I ever think of you as my enemy?_

_Did you ever think of me uncomplaining?_

_I never tried to feel, I never tried to feel this vibration._

_I never tried to reach, I never tried to reach your Eden." – _Eden; Sarah Brightman

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DIS: I wasn't intending on putting so much details and I think there was a bit of repetition involved when it involved to thoughts on Marik. In any case, thank the gods above and below that I got this finished. Thankfully I started early enough that it didn't take a long time for me to finish it. Anyway, please leave me a review, telling me how you like it. Any mistakes you find – _please_ point them out. You don't have to be nice about it, either. Next chapter I anticipate some interference on Anzu's part in the Ishtar household. Ciao!


	7. Fingerprints: Part VII

DIS: I blew my entire spring break catching up on reading since I wasn't working, either. I read the Noble Dead Saga by Barb and J.C. Hendee. I had read it before, but I really wanted to read it again... Anyway, thanks to _everyone_ who reviewed last chapter! You guys are wonderful in every aspect possible! :))) For this chapter, I was inspired by the song, "Shattered" by OAR and my favorite song of all time, "Disenchanted" by My Chemical Romance. I might make up a playlist for this story, but I haven't decided yet. Now...Enjoy!

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_Fingerprints: Part VII_

Anzu heard her mother open and close the door downstairs, but did not raise her head from her pillow or even open her eyes. Beside her, Malik was sitting at the edge of her bed, his hand gently stroking her hair. She had tried to laugh, insisting that she was fine, had tried to push him out the door. When it came to Malik Ishtar, one of the most obstinate males in Domino City and probably Japan, he would not allow himself to be shoved off while she was still crying, sniffing as she tried to coax him out the door. After he settled her in her room, where she curled pathetically on her bed, he retrieved some tissue and a hot wash rag to place on her forehead. She chose not to ask how he had found either of those things.

Before her mother had returned home, Anzu had asked softly, "Can you ever forgive me, Malik? For repaying your kindness by hurting you?"

He still had not answered.

Sighing softly, he let his hand rest on her head, a comforting warmth that she knew she would not forget. She remembered how Yuugi would sometimes pull her down beside him on his couch when she was troubled and gently massage her hands, something she knew he had learned from his grandfather. Unlike Jounouchi or Honda, his gaze would remain steady and he would say in his friendly voice, "You can talk to me, Anzu, when you need someone to listen."

Yet she found that since he moved to Shibuya, she _couldn't _talk to him because although his eyes would be on her, she felt that he was drifting away elsewhere, his mind in a completely different dimension. After that ultimate betrayal, she stopped trusting people, stopped speaking to them as openly as before, with the occasional exception of Marik. She still could understand why he even bothered with her. But then, she was not sure why Malik had ever bothered with her or why it was he who was sitting beside her after her meltdown rather than one of her older friends.

"Malik?" She murmured, sitting up. He glanced at her and offered a small smile. The washrag slid off her forehead and he removed his hand from her head, rising to his feet. She did not like the way he was eyeing her window, as though he were strongly considering it as an escape route. "I shouldn't be the one who gets all this special treatment just because I cried a little," she sighed, picking up the washrag and fiddling with it absently.

"Sometimes," he said abruptly, turning away from surveying the window, "I think you are too sensitive to others' emotions, Anzu. I didn't need to cry – you cried for me. I'm fine. Everyone gets rejected at least once in their lifetime." The flippant way in which he threw away his emotions made her eyes droop in weary sorrow. She saw by the unhappy twitch of his mouth that he noticed, but instead he ignored it and said, "I need to go before your mother comes up here and attacks me. She's suspicious enough, thinking I'm preying after your virginity."

"I'll walk you to the door," she offered. He opened his mouth, perhaps to decline, but then sighed and allowed her to do so. She checked the mirror in the hall, a few steps from the bathroom, her mouth twisting. She looked terrible; nothing could be done to remedy that, though. Releasing a resigned sigh, she ushered Malik down the stairs and opened the door, saying, "Goodnight and...again, I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Malik told her, raising a hand and waving it, dismissing her apologies. "There's nothing for you to say sorry for." He hesitated and then took her hand. "I should be the one saying sorry, for pressing my feelings on you, Anzu. Let's just...be friends again. It's easier for both of us, I think." She wondered whether that last statement included him. Simply being friends with the Pharaoh had never been easy for her. How could it be easy for Malik? "Alright?" he prompted when she simply gazed at him worriedly.

"Oh...Yes, alright," she answered. "I'm tired, I guess. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Do that," he suggested, smiling and giving her hand a friendly squeeze before he moved into the foyer and outside, into the street. She padded down to watch him fire up his motorcycle, plant his helmet on, and make a narrow circle to drive down the street. He waved at her as he left and she gave a feeble smile as she raised her hand in farewell. When the rumble of his motorcycle faded and the street was silent and empty, Anzu heaved a deep sigh, closing the doors and crossing the foyer to step into her home, shutting those doors as well. She heard her mother call for her from the living room and hastily approached her mother's voice.

"I'm going out for a walk, mom," she said. "I need some...some fresh air."

"Well – "

Not remaining to hear why her mother sounded so reluctant, she dashed upstairs and grabbed her sweater off the back of her desk chair and then hurried back downstairs to shove her sneakers on and leave the house. Zipping her sweater up to protect her from the slight chill of the night, she tucked her hands in her pockets and moved down the street, tipping her head back to gaze up at the sky. Although deceptively clear, the fluff of gray clouds closing in on the sparkling stars suggested rain would be coming soon. She could see through them, so she suspected she would be able to escape the rain tonight.

Anzu continued through to Domino Square and instead of going to the mall like she originally planned to blow some well-spent depression money, she moved to one of the many fountains and settled on the edge, tired from the walk despite the brevity of it. The sound of people talking, laughing, oblivious to her problems blended in with the sound of water dribbling into water behind her.

She propped her elbows on her knees, closing her eyes and simply relaxing. She wished she could have done something to ease the bruised look in Malik's eyes. He was such an artful liar, likely one of the best she had met thus far. She wished they hadn't gotten involved in any of this mess. She still was unsure of what had evoked such amorous feelings from Malik. He was so much better than her, suffering through so many other problems than she could ever try to comprehend. He had an elegant way of handling situations that no one she knew, let alone herself, could mimic. More than anything, though, he deserved better than the only relationship she had to offer him. But, as she dwelled on the pain she caused him, she wanted to get in a relationship with him simply so that he would no longer be hurt.

_That will only bring another round of hurt, _she thought glumly, _which I already know. I can't keep considering over this. Dating Malik is _not_ an option. He wants to be friends. He said that he did. _Even as she argued with herself, she knew it was pointless. Malik's offer of friendship was as much of a farce as his smile when he left. She was tempted to cry again. She had drained all the tears, though, and the most she did was tremble, clutching at her knees.

"Anzu?"

Her head jerked up, startled by her name being said. It was a male's voice, but not one she recognized. For a moment, she stared at the face, uncomprehending, before inhaling sharply as she realized who it was that she was being faced with. "Honda?" She queried, doubtful. He looked the same as always, yet it had been some time since she last saw him that she did not immediately acknowledge him for who he was.

"Geez, you look like a train wreck," he said, his brown eyes skimming over her face, his brow furrowing. She blinked and then rose to her feet, pushing a hand through her hair. He stumbled back, clearly as uncomfortable as she was. This only agitated her more. There had been a time when she and Honda could happen upon each other anywhere and laugh and joke with each other, when they could high five in greeting. They would usually call Yuugi and meet up with him and rouse Jounouchi so that the four of them could hang out. There were no attached girlfriends trailing behind, no awkwardness when said girlfriend was offended by something said, no arguments over things that before would make them laugh. Once Honda and Miho had gotten serious with each other, she changed him and Anzu's entire world changed from one simple thing.

_It was never like that with Mai, _she thought bitterly. Mai Kujaku, of course, was the living image of what ought to be scorned with her beautiful looks, loud voice, and slightly crude sense of humor. _And she and Jounouchi weren't even dating, technically, more like permanently flirting with each other._

"Are you okay?" Honda asked, his eyes lingering on her red-rimmed ones.

"I haven't seen you in awhile," she said, ignoring his question. Honda, of all people, was the last person she could tell about her worries. They had never been as close as she and Jounouchi or Yuugi had been. He grimaced at her statement, likely feeling that it was more of an accusation than anything else. "Or Miho, really." She paused. "I haven't seen a lot of anyone since Yuugi and Jounouchi moved to Shibuya." He appeared to relax a bit. She wanted to accuse him, but was simply too tired to do much of anything, let alone fight with someone she had long resigned to being a friend of the past.

"Things have been busy. I've been working a lot lately and, uh...Miho and I moved into an apartment together. You know, after high school, things just get so hectic." He rubbed the back of his head, frowning down at the ground. He blinked suddenly and asked, "Have you applied to any colleges, Anzu? Miho was really praying on this high university, but she got her rejection letter yesterday and was really upset. She got accepted into another one, though...I haven't gotten many acceptance letters myself, to be honest." He sounded glum when he said the last part.

"I got rejected by Julliard," Anzu flatly said. "No big deal."

Surprisingly, it was Honda who showed more sympathy than Yuugi. "Oh, damn, really? I can't believe it. But you're an amazing dancer, Anzu! I remember when we all went to that ballet that you were in – I don't remember the name of it – but you were awesome. I would have thought you'd get in for sure. I think the reason that I'm getting rejected is because of my entrance exam scores. It kind of makes me regret going to all those competitions with Yuugi and Jounouchi and running all over the place with them. But, I mean, we had fun and learned a lot and helped...Kinda..."

"I guess Julliard depends on a lot on academics, too, like any other school. Honda...Is that why you kind of, you know, stopped hanging out with us?"

He grimaced again, looking uncomfortable with the conversation. "I don't know, Anzu. It's just that Jounouchi and Yuugi – they're these really high duelists, right, and best friends and all. I've always felt that I was on the sidelines, not really doing much. Otogi and I have kept contact all this time. He's not a bad guy. We usually go out a lot to play at the arcade or just to talk. We go on double dates, too, but I just...I don't feel like Jounouchi and Yuugi are my friends anymore." He paused. "Haven't you ever felt like that?"

"Yeah...," Anzu said, feeling even more defeated than she had a moment ago. She had never thought that the reason Honda had become antisocial was for the same reason she was helplessly clinging to her friendship with Yuugi and Jounouchi. She had never even considered that Honda felt the same exclusion she did when it came to their friends. "I'm sorry, I didn't think – "

"Hey, it's cool," he interrupted. "I know I'm not the smartest guy or the most sensitive. Actually, Miho pointed it out to me and I realized how true it was. I can't believe I hung around, watching them duel and doing nothing myself. It makes me feel like an idiot when I look back at it. Now I'm suffering for it. I'll be lucky if I make it into any of the vocational schools. What are you planning on doing?"

"I don't really know," she admitted. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

"Well, listen, I have to get going. I'm actually supposed to be meeting Miho for dinner. You wanna join us?" She shook her head. That would be too awkward for her to bear. "Oh...Well, anyway," he continued in his usual fumbling manner, "call me sometime, Anzu. I guess I'm self-centered...To be honest, I forgot about you. We weren't, umm...well, we didn't talk as much." She smiled faintly.

"I'll call if you will," she said in her old, teasing manner although her heart wasn't truly up to it.

"Sounds good." He turned to leave and then paused, his eyes moving to hers again. "Why were you crying?" Honda had never been good at subtleties so she was unsurprised that he chose to be blunt about his question. She thought about lying to him, but decided that he deserved something closer to the truth. He was the only one out of her old friends that had reached out without her persuasion. He had been as unaware of her as she had been of him, of the mutual repercussions they were suffering from being such loyal friends to Yuugi and Jounouchi.

"Because I hurt a guy that wanted to date me and we're still friends and I know that's going to hurt him even more." Honda's eyes softened slightly.

"Being friends with a girl you like...That's hard. Trust me on this, though, Anzu, because I know from experience – that guy is going to want your friendship rather than nothing at all. He'll work it out. If I could do it, anyone else can." He smiled and raised his hand in a familiar gesture. She stared at his hand and then slapped it with her own, smiling genuinely for the first time that day. "Take it easy. I'll text or call you sometime soon. Miho will want to see you."

"I'd like to see her again, too." He turned with a jaunty nod and she watched him leave, feeling a little better after his reassuring words. For now, it was enough to fill her with a comfortable warmth. Later, she knew that she would not feel as good. Nonetheless, she clung to the warmth and let it flow through her entire body. Even if it only lasted for a few hours or a few days, it was enough. It seemed that she could never find any peace with herself.

Instead of returning home, she got on the bus to go to the center of the city, where her comfort zone was on the roof on an abandoned building. As she came to the top of the ladder, someone extended their hand. Alarmed, she raised her eyes to meet the expressionless gaze of Marik Ishtar's. "You like to come here when you're upset," he stated plainly, as if this were the only explanation she needed for his presence. She blinked and then stepped on another rung of the ladder and hesitated before taking his hand. He mutely helped her up and released her hand as soon as she was on her feet. Turning from her, he stepped towards the overturned milk crate, but did not sit on it, crossing his arms over his chest and standing there. After a pause, Anzu followed and settled on the crate, releasing a deep sigh.

"I must look a wreck after this entire day," she muttered.

"Mmm...You've been crying over Malik. A waste of an effort, if you ask me."

"I didn't," Anzu returned calmly, "and it's really none of your business what I cry over. I've hurt Malik deeply...If I had actually paid attention, maybe I could have avoided this. I don't know how, but I feel terrible for him." She released another sigh. "I want to tell him that, yes, I'll date him. I can't, though. I would be hurting him worse." Marik's eyes moved to her, his mouth turning down as though he were irritated with her. Frankly, she was beyond caring what Marik thought about her. She was glad that she had someone there with her, though, even if he said very little.

"You are a foolish girl."

"Why exactly? For having feelings?"

"No, all humans are foolish for having _feelings_. They are troublesome and not worth the drama that follows. You are foolish for being so ridiculously naïve and pure-hearted. You will cry over Malik's problems – and his feelings for you are the least of his problems at the present and the least he has had in his past – but take no care for your own. I suggest you focus on those before weeping about him."

"He's my friend, Marik. I love him like one and I would help him with anything. It isn't because he has a problem that I'm crying. It's because I'm the one who's hurt him that I'm crying. Can't you understand that?" She knew that he did. Marik was, above all, educated when it came to human emotions. He literally spent all of his time observing each emotion that a human felt rather than experience them himself. When he did not offer her a response, instead turning away, she frowned and then turned to gaze out at Domino City as well. It was beautiful, her city. She couldn't understand why Yuugi had wanted to leave it. She had such fond memories in Domino, memories that she felt she could never replace. "Not all of my friends have abandoned me."

"Is that right?" was his sarcastic response.

"Honda and I ran into each other today. He feels out of place with Yuugi and Jounouchi. I don't blame him."

"Yet you still try to remain their friends."

"We've been friends for so long and have been through too much together just to throw it away. I have to at least try. I can't just give up like Honda did. What's the point in that?" Anzu glanced at Marik to see that he was musing over something. "They're my friends. They always will be. And it's not like they've treated me badly or anything. Jounouchi and Yuugi and I hung out just today and Shizuka and I – " She paused, remembering what Shizuka had told her about Marik that day. _"Do you like him, Anzu? Is he a good person?"_ She still did not have an answer to either of those questions. She had been so caught up with Malik that she had completely forgotten Shizuka's questions that day until just then. "Am I your friend, Marik?" She saw a flicker of surprise pass over his face as he turned to look at her. She was surprised herself at how the question had simply slid off her tongue, without any conscious thought to it.

"No," he bluntly responded. Despite believing him to supply that answer, she was unexpectedly hurt. "I have no friends, no enemies, nothing. I've given up on putting a label on any specific person." There was a pause in which he looked off to the side, as though he was seeking guidance elsewhere. "But..." He returned his dark, heavy-lidded gaze to her face. "While your so-called friends are tending to be fickle with their emotions, I can at least give you my loyalty. You have intrigued me, Anzu Mazaki. That is not an easy thing to do." He turned away from her again, adding, "I trust you, as little as that may mean to you."

"It means more than you think, Marik," she answered quietly, "because you're the only one I've been able to trust lately." It was more than she had meant to tell him, for she certainly had not meant to show how much she needed him now. Perhaps he knew that it would have made her uncomfortable to sneer or throw out some sarcastic comment because he said nothing, staring ahead of him. She relaxed and allowed herself a small smile of contentment. Marik could call it whatever he wanted, but loyalty and trust summed up her idea of friendship. He was a friend and that was all that mattered to her, for that proved Malik wrong when he said that Marik did not consider her as such, even if he did not label her as a friend. "Thank you," she said a bit belatedly.

"There is no reason to thank me," Marik said and she saw him looking at her through the corner of his eye. "Malik will not like to hear that from you, so I would be careful not to say anything about me to him. He will be even more sensitive to the idea of you liking me than before." He gave an unpleasant smile. "But you do not like me, just as I do not like you." When she opened her mouth to argue that point, he continued, "There is a difference between trust and liking, Mazaki, a thin line in which you ought to study. If you mistake those things for something else, you are only putting yourself in danger of stupidity, just like those humans who mistake lust for love or vice versa." He paused. "But you seem to understand that distinction quite well."

Like with every other such thing that he voiced, she did not question how he knew that. She appreciated that she did not have to say things, that Marik could pick up on them without her assistance. "Other girls don't," she told him quietly. She frowned up at him. "Why are you here, Marik?" She had asked this question once before and had received a cryptic response.

"I was able to slip away from Isis."

That was not the answer she was looking for and he knew it.

"I tell you what's on my mind, but you never tell me. I don't think that's a fair trade," she accused. He tilted his head slightly in a puzzled gesture. She knew he was not confused in the least. He unfolded his arms and stepped towards her milk crate, leaning down and brushing his fingers ever so gently across her cheek, only his fingertips grazing her flesh, moving up her cheekbone to her hair that his knuckles shifted before he removed his hand. She was reminded of the day when Yuugi moved and she met Marik in the park. He had done something similar: barely touching, but enough for her to feel the heat in his hand.

"My mind," he told her in soft voice, "is too hollow for any comprehensible thoughts." He withdrew, appearing satisfied. "Go home, Mazaki. You're obviously exhausted."

Anzu was not about to argue with him, as she knew this was a fact. She stumbled to her feet and then paused, looking at him. "I want to help you, Marik. You, Malik, _and _Isis. I can't if I don't understand anything."

"As I said before – focus on your own problems. I am getting rather better at escaping her clutches."

"I won't. You and Malik are miserable, I can see that."

"And you care?" He queried, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. Don't you?"

"If I didn't, I would not be standing here."

_TBC_

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DIS: Well, I was planning on Anzu meddling in the Ishtar household, but I have to deal with a few other things first. How did I handle the Honda and Anzu scene? Okay or did I mangle it pretty badly? Please leave a review with honest feedback and what you thought of the chapter. Ciao!


	8. Fingerprints: Part VIII

DIS: **Thank you **to everyone that reviewed. You guys really keep me going and I apologize most sincerely for taking two months to update this. It wasn't at all my intention. I had this chapter all typed up at a few pages over eight and then when I was reading over it, I realized I had screwed it up completely and had to start from scratch again. Besides that, I've just had a lot of stuff going on in my life. I've been scrambling with all my school work and graduation. Well, with that said, here's chapter eight.

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_Fingerprints: Part VIII_

Anzu woke bleary-eyed that morning. The sunlight, as per usual, was blinding her. She wished, not for the first time, that she had remembered to close the blinds before going to sleep the following night. Closing her blinds had hardly been the most important thing on her mind at the time, though. As she blinked tiredly, she knew without a doubt that her eyes were going to feel swollen all day. Presently, it felt as if the sandman's dust was still in her eyes. Despite having slept in until noon, she felt exhausted and likely had not gotten as much sleep as one would think. Her sleep had been restless with a horrifying nightmare of some kind of spirit that looked like her that was stealing everyone soul's and forcing them to kill themselves. Shuddering, Anzu recalled how Mokuba Kaiba had climbed onto a motorbike and drove into a car wash, killing himself. It was not at all a dream she would have wanted. She woke up at four-thirty in the morning and lay away for a few hours, dreading the thought of returning to such a dream.

She lay down in bed, the covers pulled back to allow the chill of the room slide over her legs. She would soon have to put her heavy blankets away and don her bed with nothing but sheets and a light blanket. She enjoyed the warmth of sleep far too much. Anzu sighed softly to herself, raising a hand and rubbing her face tiredly. A buzzing sound came from her night table and she jumped, startled. When she glanced to the side, she saw it was only her phone. Exhaling with relief, she took her phone and saw that it was a text from Shizuka. _Have any plans today?_ she had texted her. Anzu hesitated. It was not that she necessarily did not want to hang out with Shizuka, but she was feeling emotionally and physically drained after everything with Malik and then Honda. She wanted a break for now, so she replied, _I've got stuff to do. Sry :( _Once Shizuka replied _Another time then, _with extra smiles of forgiveness, Anzu tossed her phone on the bed and stumbled away to get in the shower.

She curled back in bed after she dressed, closing her eyes to allow her hair to dry. She was hungry, but was not particularly interested in doing much of anything that day. A knock sounded on her door and she flinched. No doubt it was her mother, wanting to inquire as to why she was being so antisocial. Typically, Mrs. Mazaki walked in without waiting for a response from her daughter. "Anzu?" she tentatively murmured, peering around the door. Anzu tried to pretend to be asleep. Her wet hair gave her away. Her mother entered the rest of the way and shut the door behind her, approaching the bed. Anzu felt her sit down, the mattress sinking to the frame and Mrs. Mazaki running a hand over her damp hair. "Anzu, we have always been so close...But lately you've been avoiding talking about things to me. I know you're worried about something. Maybe talking to me will help. It might not resolve anything, but you know that I always want to help you, Anzu." She gave a small smile, brushing her fingertips along Anzu's face. "Hmm? How about it?" Anzu opened her eyes, bemused at how rushed her mother's proposal came out. She turned to meet her mother's eyes. They were kind eyes that she had always been able to trust and confide in. There were certain things that she had never told her mother, such as the Sennen Items and the ancient spirits from the past. That had actually been fairly easy to hide. This, on the other hand, was not so easy.

"I'm fine, mom," she said at last, depending on the lie more heavily than she would have liked. "It's nothing I can't deal with." Mrs. Mazaki's face hardened a bit and she lowered her eyes, her brows drawing together stubbornly. As Anzu ought to have known, there was no such thing as choices when it came to one's parents, much less her overprotective mother.

"Your father's returning today, Anzu," her mother finally told her. "I found Julliard's rejection letter on the side of the road with your name on the letter. I know that is one of the reasons you're acting this way and I suspect that _boy_ is just another problem that has arisen in your life. Men do tend to complicate things, Anzu." She sighed, looking away from her daughter, folding her arms across her chest in resignation. "And most of the time, you're not sure what to do with them or what it is that they would like you to do for them. Sometimes their intentions aren't good. If that boy is causing you trouble – " Just as she turned to give a motherly threat, Anzu snapped up in bed, briefly startling her mother.

"Malik hasn't been anything but nice to me," Anzu told her firmly.

"He _clearly _likes you, Anzu."

"Don't you think I know that? Why do you think he hasn't been over anymore?" She released an irritated sigh, turning from her. It was unfair of her to take her mood out on her mother. She had _said _that she was fine, that she didn't need to speak to Mrs. Mazaki of anything, but she had completely disregarded her words as if she had not even spoken. _But that still doesn't give me a right to snap at her, _Anzu admitted to herself grudgingly. She wanted nothing more than to simply slip back into bed and rest; she wanted to avoid this unwholesome conversation more than anything. "I told him that I only liked him as a friend. I hurt him, so now I'm just trying to regain our friendship, okay? I am worried about not getting accepted into Julliard, but I can always retake the exams."

"But Anzu – "

"I don't want to talk about it!" Anzu abruptly told her. "Please...Just leave me alone, mom. I don't want to talk about anything. I just want to forget everything, if just for a day. I have enough to cope with on my own without you stressing me out."

There was a tense pause in which Anzu's mother stared at her with a black expression, her mouth pursed into a thin, white line. Anzu stared at her floor, determined not to meet her mother's gaze. When at last Mrs. Mazaki sighed, she raised her eyes. Her mother rose to her feet and started towards the door, accepting defeat in this battle. She paused and then turned, questioning, "And when are you going to meet things head-on, Anzu? There's something else bothering you that you're not telling me about. I can accept that – don't let it weigh you down, sweetheart, or else you'll never get back on the path that you're supposed to be traveling." She gave a small smile and then left Anzu to sit on her bed alone.

Closing her eyes, Anzu heaved a deep sigh and fell back against the mattress, turning on her side and resting her head on her folded hands. She opened her eyes and stared ahead of her pensively. She wished that she could pour her heart out to her mother, talk about how much distance had been put between her and Yuugi, her and all of her close friends, really. She wanted to tell her mother about Marik's wise advice, how he and Malik were the only ones keeping her on her feet now that she had no other friends left. She wanted to tell her everything, but that would mean telling her things that were not her secrets to tell. Atemu had asked quite politely that no one but them know of this; Shadii and Isis had also advised this. Nonetheless, keeping things from her mother required that she lie about other things and that was something she despised. It didn't seem like there was much of anyone else for her to confide in.

By the time Anzu left her room, it was past noon and she had heard her father enter the house. She sighed and leaned her arms against the banister, crossing a leg behind her as she listened to her parent's conversation. Anzu generally had no reason for this, but if she knew her mother as well as she did, she would likely express her worry about their teenage daughter. Anzu saw her father's luggage in the entry hall, which could only mean that her mother had rushed him off to the kitchen. From where she was standing, she could hear their conversation perfectly as the separating walls did not quite meet the arched ceiling, leaving a gap between the slabs of wall and ceiling.

"...never around Yuugi and them, either," her mother was saying. Anzu stiffened. Did her mother suspect the underlying issue to her current attitude? "I'm concerned for her, Seiji. She's never acted this way before. It's as if she's depressed. She's gotten very quiet and seems to say hardly anything to me. I don't want to see her hurt. That's clearly what she is right now, though...You have to talk to her – "

"No," Anzu heard her father interrupt sharply. "I will _not_ talk with her and get into her business. You said yourself that Anzu told you to leave her alone for awhile. She's eighteen! She's an adult! She obviously wants to take care of whatever is going on in her life by herself. It doesn't have to do with a guy harassing her, and so she is capable of handling it."

"You don't know that! What are you going to do if it's something serious?"

Anzu's father sighed heavily. "Sakura...I'm tired. I've had a long plane ride. I just want to take a shower, eat a bit of something, and go to bed. Can you allow me these small comforts? Stop worrying about Anzu. She's a very bright girl. She'll figure things out on her own and if she needs our help, she'll come to us. This is something personal that we cannot help her with. Do as she asked – leave her alone."

"But..."

"She's _fine_, just a little stressed out. I would be, too, if I had gotten rejected from my ideal school. She needs a bit of time to collect herself and then all will be well again, okay?" Sakura didn't answer. Her husband seemed to take that as an acceptable response and Anzu stepped away from the stairs as she heard her father exit the kitchen. She heard him pick up his things and trudge up the stairs. She remained leaning against her doorframe until he came into her view. He looked as exhausted as he claimed to be. His eyes sagged and his mouth was pulled downward in a deep frown. His shoulders were slumped, giving him an appearance of weakness that anyone who knew Seiji Mazaki was aware of being untrue. He paused when he spotted her and gave a wan smile. She returned it and took one of his bags wordlessly and led the way to her parent's room, dropping it at the end of the bed. He set the others down and released a long breath.

"Thank you, daddy," she said, hugging him tightly around the waist. He gently rubbed her back, resting his cheek on her head.

"You got it all in control then, Anzu?"

"I will," Anzu assured him, withdrawing and smiling. "I promise. I just need some time alone to think."

"That's what I thought."

After her conversation with her father, Anzu decided that she needed to go someplace else to contemplate her options. She hastily dressed and left the house quietly so as not to disturb either of her parents. She knew that her mother was upset and would not want to talk with her at the moment, especially since she was one of the prime reasons why Sakura happened to be in such a mood. Anzu's steps were slow as she moved down her narrow street, her hands in her pockets. For a moment, she considered calling Yuugi and instantly threw away such a thought. After all, her friendship with him was part of what was putting her in the surly mood that she had been in lately. Instead, she meandered through her neighborhood with no specific destination in mind.

She heard the put of a motorcycle behind her and ignored it until it sped past her. "Hey, why don't you read the speed limit sign, asshole!" she screamed after it irritably. Half of her hoped that they heard her, the other half not wanting to really argue with someone. Alas, the motorcyclist heard her and came to a stop. She hesitated on her next step, deliberating on whether she ought to turn and start running or not. Instead, she decided to stay and maybe duke it out with whoever almost ran her over.

"I'm not sure," a lazy voice commented, "if that's the kind of language you should be using when you don't know who you're talking to." She blinked as she recognized the voice. A moment later, the helmet came off and Malik offered a lopsided grin. "Is my affection still causing you to have a bad life, Anzu?" She flushed with shame. Although she thankful he had turned it into a joking matter so quickly, she knew that, inwardly, he did not feel as careless as he acted. She shifted foot to foot, uncomfortable, and then approached him with her eyes cast down. "Well?"

"No," she bit out, slightly more aggressive than she had intended. "No, I'm in a fine mood."

"Of course," he said with a nod, "because you always swear on a daily basis." Malik lowered his eyes to his helmet, juggling it from hand to hand in a thoughtful manner. "Listen, Anzu...You haven't texted or called me since yesterday and you know, you _did_ say that you would." He raised his eyes to hers and she saw the aggravation in his eyes. Honda had been right; Malik was desperate for any type of relationship with her now that he had been rejected. She was still trying to find her footing again. Clearing her throat, she raised her head and allowed herself to plunge forth into a new friendship with him.

"Yeah, sorry, I know I did. It's just, um, my dad got home today and my mom thinks I'm depressed or something, so I've had to deal with her. And she and my dad got in a fight about it, so..."

"Oh..." He looked apologetic as he said, "Sounds like you have a lot going on then."

"Not anymore than usual," Anzu answered with a smile. Even though Marik had advised her to deal with her own problems, every time she saw him or Malik, the issue of Isis and her tyrannical ways in the Ishtar household nagged at her. She hated it, but she could see that this was a perfect opportunity to get inside Malik's house and see what was really going on there. Both Marik and Malik were clever and could deal with almost any problem they were confronted with. It made no sense that they were bullied by Malik's sister without having any idea as to how to deal with her. She understood why Marik didn't bother – he had told her straight out why he didn't try as hard to get her off his case. Malik, on the other hand, had only offered feeble excuses. "Um...Are you busy, Malik?"

"No, I was going home," he answered, his face clouding over somewhat. "Why?"

"Well, do you mind if I go with you? I need to get away from my house for awhile. Things are tense between me and my mom."

His eyes drifted to the ground in reluctance. "I don't think you want to go to my house, Anzu. I _know_ I always say that," he added when she opened her mouth, "but you really don't want to go there. It's just...If you think your house is tense, it's nothing compared to mine." Anzu stared at him stubbornly, hoping he would get the hint. Clearly the fact that she just looked at him was enough because he released a sigh and handed her the helmet. "_Fine_. But don't complain to me, alright?" He paused as she climbed on behind him, strapping the helmet onto her head. "And I don't think Isis would like it too well if you talked to Marik." She hid a smile behind the helmet, knowing that it had more to do with Malik not wanting her to talk to Marik. She clasped his waist as he pulled into the street and continued at the same speed that he had been going when he blew past her. She chose not to say anything this time.

When they pulled up to his home, she had to remind herself how much money the Ishtar family held. This was the wealthy district of Domino City, where Kaiba would probably live if he hadn't been such a snob and set up a huge estate outside of the city limits. She climbed off the motorcycle and removed the helmet, following Malik to the garage. Inside, it was spacious with two silver, identical cars being the only other vehicles occupying it. "Helmet?" Malik prompted as he put the kickstand up on his motorcycle. Anzu handed him the helmet and he hung it on the handlebars. Sighing, he said, "Come on," and led her up some stairs to a door that opened into the kitchen.

The kitchen, conveniently, held Marik seated at the table with an utterly bored expression on his face. He raised an eyebrow when he saw that Anzu was behind Malik. He did not, however, say a word, returning to the coffee that he was placidly drinking. She noticed that he was gripping the mug a bit too tightly, which gave her a good indication that things were as tense here as Malik had said.

"Where's Isis?" Malik asked.

"Wherever she wishes to be, I suppose," Marik drawled. Malik raised his hands slightly, as if pleading with the gods, and ushered Anzu to follow him out of the kitchen. As they were leaving, Marik said, "She won't like this."

"I _am_ aware," he muttered underneath his breath. He hurried up the flight of stairs, allowing Anzu to go in front of him. The entire house was quiet save for the sound of their footsteps. Malik stopped at a door and opened it. "This is my room. I need to find Isis and talk to her, but I shouldn't be long...If I'm lucky. Okay?" She nodded. "Good...I _did_ warn you."

"I know. It's fine, Malik." He nodded, appearing anxious. Only when she repeated her reassurances did he leave her, closing the door quietly behind her. Anzu stood at the door for a moment, staring around her with interest. His room, unlike what she saw from the rest of the house, held some semblance of human personality. His bed, situated in the corner of the room, was unmade and there were CDs and books thrown haphazardly on the shelf on the other side of the room. His computer desk held papers, blank CDs, ancient floppy disks, and an alarm clock. All of this was out of order as well. There was a hamper near the shelf and by another doorway that she saw led into a bathroom. She suspected the doors by the bed led into his closet. She moved to the window that was situated between the bed and the computer desk, pulling the curtains back to see that it looked out into the backyard. Everything outside of Malik's room was immaculate and so generic. She was glad he still had some humanity left.

She pushed the curtains back into place and sat on the bed pensively, looking around. His walls were bare, with the exception of a wall scroll that she suspected his sister had given him; she couldn't read what it said as it was in hieroglyphs. As her gaze drifted to the ground, she saw a few magazines littered the floor by his bed. Thankful they weren't nudies or anything like that, she picked one up and saw it was a motorcycle magazine. She flipped through it until the door opened. She raised her head expectantly and blinked to see that it was not Malik, but Marik. His gaze slid from wall to wall and then settled on her. "Well?" was all he said.

"Well what?" she returned defensively.

"You're finally here, meddling like you wanted," he told her, closing the door behind him and leaning against it with his arms folded. He looked disgustingly arrogant in that pose. She had no doubt that he was feeling ultimately superior, as well. "Have you decided how you're going to 'help' us or are you simply here to sit and observe us like we're animals?"

"Isn't that what you do with everyone else?"

"I do it from the sidelines, Mazaki," Marik coolly replied, "I don't directly involve myself in such affairs like you have. Isis does not like anyone coming here. If she wants to see one of her friends, she goes to see them. She hasn't allowed anyone here since she moved into this house. She believes we're dysfunctional and has no wish for people on 'the outside,' as she terms it, to see what we're really like. Malik was already in hot water when he left. He's going to be boiled to death because you, no doubt, persuaded him to allow you to come here."

"I've been asking him from the very start to bring him to his house! It's not like I'm a stranger or anything."

"She doesn't care about that," Marik sighed, pushing away from the door and unfolding his arms. "You lack understanding in these matters. What's more, you do not even _know_ that you lack that understanding. Isis doesn't care what people think about her or how she rules her household."

"If she didn't care, she wouldn't go to such lengths to keep people from here."

This made Marik pause. He raised his eyebrows ever so slightly and a slow, amused smirk curled his lips upward. The expression caused a chill to travel down her spine. "Mmm, that may be true, but I'm inclined to believe that she is simply ashamed of us. Or rather, me." Anzu frowned at him, staring defiantly from her place on the bed. Marik prowled further into the room and surveyed it thoughtfully. "I've actually never been in here, did you know that? Malik's never been in _my_ room, either. I imagine he will be upset when he realizes I'm in here with you." His smirk broadened as he met her eyes. "Alone."

"Don't be revolting."

"I'm just following his train of thought."

"He knows me better than that."

"Hmm. Then he shouldn't have any jealous thoughts about people, much less me. But he is human and humans are selfish, arrogant, jealous creatures. If you cannot accept that – well, we're going to have quite the dilemma. You are already beginning to understand that friendship is not all that you thought it to be. Once you can realize that humans are not as kind hearted as you believe, you may be on the path to true enlightenment, Mazaki." He stopped at the window and flicked the curtains away, peering out into the backyard with an indifferent gaze. "That enlightenment, you'll find, is not as welcoming as one would think." He turned to look at her and she stared back at him, unnerved by his cryptic words.

The door abruptly opened and they turned to see not only Malik in the doorway, but Isis as well. Her eyes flickered from Marik to Anzu in clear bafflement. Malik's face seemed to turn a shade gray and he looked at Anzu despairingly.

"I wasn't aware that Isis enjoyed coming into your room, Malik," Marik said to break the silence.

Anzu was getting the distinct feeling that, somehow, she about to get unintentionally involved in this entire affair.

_TBC_

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DIS: There we go. Finally I have Anzu where she needs to be. I don't expect this issue to be resolved all that quickly and before this story ends, I want to take care of her misconceptions that Marik has eluded to throughout the story. In any case,_ please_ leave a review telling me how you liked it!! Ciao!


	9. Fingerprints: Part IX

DIS: Er, sorry for taking so long again. I've had a lot on my hands, relationship wise. Finally, though, I've gotten around to updating this. Thank you, thank you, **thank you** everyone for reviewing even though I took forever to update. You guys really are awesome. Here is the next chapter!!

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_Fingerprints: Part IX_

Anzu licked her lips and wiped sweaty palms upon her thighs. She felt as though she had been caught doing something dirty that she knew she should not have been doing. Very carefully and deliberately, she rose to her feet and pasted a fake smile on her lips. This seemed to reassure Malik somewhat even though she knew that he could see that it was not a genuine smile. Her mouth was dry, yet she managed to speak to Isis directly, "Isis, hello. I hope you don't mind that I stopped by." More smiling; a small, innocent tilt of the head. The familiarity halted the beginning frown on Isis's lips. "I always see Malik, but I barely ever see you. It's kind of sad...I don't have many female friends in Domino."

"I agree," Isis said at last, giving a delicate smile. "Perhaps we should catch a bit now? I know you came with Malik, but I _would_ like to talk with you, see how you have been lately. We can leave these two alone for a moment." Anzu's eyes narrowed slightly, watching as the elder female threw a dark look towards the male situated at the window. She quickly glanced to see Marik turn from Isis dismissively, clearly unbothered by her attitude towards him. Anzu's mouth thinned slightly as she turned away from him and met Malik's gaze. He moved his head to the side slightly, panic jumping into his eyes when he saw her aggravation. "Shall we?" Isis queried after the brief pause in conversation.

"Sure."

Anzu was led away, down the stairs and to what appeared to be the living room. It was beautifully decorated with a combination of colours, giving it a bright atmosphere. The couches were of an older fashion, but comfortable, and did not seem to have the touch of a Japanese man. She would guess, by some of the carving done, that they had come from Egypt. Isis left her briefly and then returned with a teapot and two teacups. She poured them some tea and handed Anzu a teacup. There were some sweets on a plate that Isis bade her to eat. "Malik thinks I don't pay any attention to things in his life," she conversationally said as Anzu ate one of the chocolate covered biscuits. Anzu took a drink of her tea and glanced at her questionably. Isis smiled her small, delicate smile again and elaborated, "Anytime that he's come home after he's seen you, he's always in such a lighter mood. He adores you. I want him to be happy. His life has been such a tragedy." Her mouth turned down and she lowered her eyes to her own teacup.

_I expected to come here and hate Isis_, Anzu mused, gazing across at the older female. _For a moment, when I saw how she looked at Marik, I did hate her. But Marik was right. She really is only doing all of this because of Malik. She wants to help him so bad that she ends up hurting Marik and maybe she doesn't even know it. I don't think what she does is right – Marik deserves so much better – but I do think she is misguided. Marik even admitted to that. He hates his position, yet he realizes it's necessary. I didn't even when he told me. Now, looking at this...I do. _"I love Malik," Anzu quietly said, making Isis raised startled eyes to her face, "but only as a brother or a best friend. I've told him this. I hate that I've caused him so much pain. He's really trying to be my friend. I can tell it's hard on him, though, and I feel so awful about it. I think he understands, though. On some level, anyway." Isis took a drink of her tea and continued to stare down at her cup for a long moment. Anzu anticipated her question before she even asked it.

"And may I ask what is between you and Marik?" Her eyes flashed to Anzu's face, as if expecting a change in expression. However, Anzu merely stared back at her calmly. She had nothing to hide from anyone when it came to Marik, much less Isis.

"I think of him as a friend."

"A friend?" Isis repeated skeptically, raising an eyebrow. "Anzu, forgive me but he is a monster. Do you not recall what he did to Mai Kujaku, what he did to Jounouchi and how much he put all of your friends through? He is nothing but a heartless..._monster_. Even now he plagues my brother. Oh, Malik tries to brush it off, tries to make him be better, to be like one of us. Malik just doesn't understand that it's not _possible_. He has no emotions. He's nothing but cold, cold darkness, just like he was when he had corrupted my brother's body." Isis had become so passionate about what she was talking about that she was gripping her cup so hard that it was shaking. When realizing what she was doing, she set the cup down and closed her eyes to calm herself. After a second, she opened her eyes to meet Anzu's gaze again. "I cannot fathom calling him anything like a friend. You have a kind heart, Anzu, kinder than any person I know, but forgiving him for what he did to you and your friends – "

"They're not my friends," Anzu abruptly said. There was a tense silence in which Isis stared at her with some shock and Anzu blinked rapidly, a bit surprised by her own words. It had never occurred to her to say such a thing, to really say out loud the truth of the situation between her and the people she had believed to be her friends. "They...never treated me like I was their friend. Not really..." Neither female said anything for a long time. Isis seemed to be absorbing Anzu's words and Anzu was feeling depression sink its knives into her. She wanted to sit down, hug herself, and close her eyes so that she would not have to face this new, ugly world she was discovering. She wanted to return to the world that she knew, where friendship could withstand anything, where nothing went wrong, and the only problem that she had was the occasional math test.

"I am sorry," Isis said at last. "I see that much has changed since we last spoke."

"Yes."

"Would it help for you to talk about it?"

Anzu shook her head, clenching her eyes tight against sudden tears. "No...I just...Can I use your bathroom, please?" Isis nodded and rose to her feet, giving her the general direction. Anzu murmured a 'thank you' and hurried to the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

Her hands slipped from the knob as she leaned against the door and slid down, biting down on her lip to stop crying. _I don't really have any friends anymore, do I? I don't have the friends that I preached about. Our friendship was supposed to hold against anything, but...But if that was true, Honda and I wouldn't be left behind. _She snorted to herself. _When did Anzu Mazaki cry over every little bad thing in life? I'm finally in Malik's house, talking to Isis, and I get all upset over something I've always secretly known. _She drew in a deep, steadying breath and stood up, running warm water in the sink and splashing it on her face. She splashed her face a few times and then held her hands against her cheeks for a moment and then sliding them down to cup her neck. She stared in the mirror.

"Why do I always have to worry about everyone else?" she wondered aloud, reaching out to touch the mirror, smearing water on her reflection. Anzu sighed and turned away, wiping her face with the towel hanging from a wooden pole on the wall. She received one last glimpse of her reflection in the mirror and, satisfied that she did not look too bad, she left the bathroom. When she entered the living room, Isis quickly stood up, a genuinely concerned expression on her dark features. "I'm fine, Isis, I just needed a moment to myself." She gave a small laugh. "I guess I'm kind of silly."

"Sometimes it is not best to keep your emotions locked in yourself," Isis told her. She took one of Anzu's hands in hers and encased it in both of hers. "Life will always deliver you unpleasant things, Anzu. It could be people, places, or events. So long as you acknowledge them for what they are, there should be no reason to worry. If you pretend they do not exist...You could find yourself in trouble. I am certain that you will be able to overcome this hurdle that life has thrown at you. You are strong. I know this."

"Thank you...," Anzu said, surprised by how much her words helped. Isis smiled and released her hand after giving it a small squeeze.

"Please, sit. The tea will help. It is an herbal remedy from Egypt. It helps me relax. Sadness, anger, stress – it all causes tension in the body. This will make it a little easier to bear with." She poured them both another cup of tea and they lapsed into silence. Anzu nibbled on a biscuit, trying to empty her mind and stop thinking about Yuugi and Jounouchi. "During Battle City," Isis began slowly, "I was always drinking this tea, always wondering to myself what I was doing wrong, what I had done wrong. I always thought that there was something wrong with _me_, that it had to be my fault that everything was falling apart in mine and my family's life. But...The first few days that Malik had returned to himself, he told me that it was not my fault. The things that he did, he explained, and what Marik did, where their own choices. My brother knows me. Even as children, I wanted to take everyone responsibilities upon myself, even Rishid's, and he is older than me." She gave a reassuring smile to Anzu. "I am only saying this because I don't want you to feel that the reason for Yuugi's actions is your fault."

"I know," she replied, lowering her gaze to her cup. "I tried to keep our friendship together, but he barely put an effort into it. Jounouchi didn't try at all. But Isis..." Anzu paused, raising her eyes to Isis's. The older female was sincerely trying to help her right then and Anzu appreciated it, more than she could put into words. She felt horribly guilty for how negative her feelings had been towards the woman only moments before she had sat down to talk with here. It was amazing how a bit of insight in a person's mind could change things.

"What I think is the issue here," Isis said quite deliberately, "is that you are always concerning yourself with other's problems." Anzu blinked, shocked by the too-knowing look in her eyes. "Anzu, do you think that I am unaware of your feelings towards me? I know that you dislike my actions towards both my brother and Marik. I knew when you first looked at me today. I could also see that there was a deep sadness in your eyes and wanted to discover that first. I had a feeling it had something to do with your friends or my brother." Isis sighed heavily, seeming as weary as Anzu felt. "But now I see that you are still upset...simply not because of Malik."

"Marik deserves better than this life you've offered him," she quietly responded, averting her gaze. Earlier, Isis had been so passionately angry when Marik was the topic of their conversation. It seemed that in the time Anzu had been in the bathroom, Isis had resigned herself to accepting such a conversation between them. "He is human now, Isis, and has emotions just as you or I do. You can't continue to treat him as though he were an animal..."

"Why do you care so much? What has he done for you to make you feel so warmly towards him?" Isis queried not unkindly.

Anzu considered over the question for a moment. It seemed that since she first met Marik in the park that he had been the only one she wanted to go to for help. He was blunt in his answers, whereas other people hesitated upon being honest. She was unaccustomed to this, especially when what he said ended up being facts rather than opinions. He knew how to listen without interrupting and shared his observations of human nature with her, allowing her an insight into a world that she had lived in her entire life, but had never seen in its true form. There was something kind about Marik without him needing to be kind. She could not explain this fully to Isis; she doubted she would understand. However, Isis deserved an answer after being so patient with her on this subject. She could have threw her out of the house. Instead, she welcomed her, treated her well, and was trying to negotiate through an incredibly awkward conversation.

"I've been pretty naïve, I suppose, even after all the crazy people that have attacked Yuugi," Anzu slowly said. "Marik...He's helped me see things as they are, rather than what I want them to be. He knows so much simply from watching. I don't watch – I'm the person that people are watching. I've always liked to be active. He sits back and observes, sort of like a psychologist will when he's out in public, just to think of the different possibilities in a person's life. To Marik, humans are these creatures being experimented on by life and he records everything to lock it away until the information needs to be used. I never thought of going about things that way and I still don't live the way he might, always watching and listening. He does it for me, I guess, and...helps open my eyes. I never knew how messed up my friendship with Yuugi and Jounouchi were until I met him again after he was brought back." She sighed. "I learned a lot of things through him..." She glanced to Isis, wondering if she had annoyed her; on the contrary, Isis seemed amazed by her words, although there was a slight furrow in her brow.

"Why is it that I can't see Marik in the same light as you?" she asked quietly. "You make him sound so decent, Anzu. I don't even know if that's who he truly is or if that's you're interpretation of his character."

"Maybe you're just using him to protect Malik," Anzu cautiously ventured. She recalled Marik's warning, that if he were gone, Isis would drag Malik back to Egypt. The last thing she wanted was for Malik to end up halfway across the world. She was sure that she could not bear being away from him; he was the one person that kept her on her feet after she and her friends began to drift away from each other. "Don't we both know that it was Malik's misguided thoughts that led to all that chaos during Battle City?" Anzu paused, watching Isis's facial expressions. She seemed hesitant, as if she were struggling with herself to admit that Anzu's words were true. After a pause, she sighed and nodded faintly. "Malik knows it himself. I am not saying that Marik wasn't at fault because on some level he was. But you know that it wasn't entirely his fault and it seems unfair to place all of the blame on him."

"I know this," Isis told her before she could continue, "but it makes my heart ache to think about it. When Malik was younger, he was always so eager to see the world, to learn new things. He hated the life he was born into and I know that it was our father's rough treatment of him that turned him bad...I just can't stand thinking of my little brother as evil."

"Well, he's not evil anymore. Everyone has a bad side, Isis." Anzu dropped her gaze, thinking that there certainly was a _naughty_ side to Malik. Feeling her cheeks warm, she scowled to herself and then raised her gaze. A mild, amused expression on Isis's face made her blush harder. 'But, um..."

"We'll discuss that look later on," Isis told her with a small smile. Her smile faded as she fell into a deep thought with herself. "Let us abandon this for now, Anzu. I need to think about it. I would like to treat Marik differently, but it will take some time. I will never forgive him for being born through my brother. He still stole his body when Rishid was injured and I will never trust him not to mistreat us modern-day humans. To him, we are nothing but toys. Lab rats. You even admitted that he only observed us. He doesn't even bother to try and interact with us."

"He did with me," Anzu reminded her softly.

"That," she murmured, "is something I don't think I will ever understand." They fell silent and Anzu knew that Isis's treatment towards Marik wasn't going to change much. There was just something about how this conversation was going that gave her the impression that not much of anything good was coming out of it. Isis was purposely evading discussing how she could begin to treat Marik better, focusing on the past and present instead. "Actually, Anzu," she spoke up suddenly, "I had been thinking of returning to Egypt." Anzu's insides froze with fright. "I don't want to take Malik from here, especially because I know how much he loves Domino...how much he loves you." Isis met her gaze directly. Her face turned hot with shame. "However, it would be better for him and I don't have to worry about Marik. In Egypt, people are always watching each other. They are very wary there because of the things that have happened in the past and the things that are happening now. I can trust him there, though I'm not sure that's the word I would use..."

"But Isis, if you think that it would be better for Malik to stay here – "

"There is only one thing here that he will truly miss, Anzu, and that is you," Isis interrupted before she could go any farther with those thoughts. "I think you may be the only friend he has really had in his life." She sighed, pushing her hair from her face wearily. Anzu could see that this entire discussion was beginning to wear her out and cause some stress. Speaking of moving to Egypt was surely causing stress, likely because she knew there was going to be a fuss from Malik. And Anzu, frankly, was beginning to feel herself fuss. Her heart was beating fast with panic. How could she let yet another friend leave her? And this wouldn't be a situation where she could simply ride the train to see him – he would be in a completely different country! "I apologize, but I have had a long day and I think it would be best if we finished our talk on another date..."

"Yes," she agreed numbly, "that would be a good idea." The females rose to their feet and Anzu stared at her teacup on the coffee table, staring at her shadowed reflection in the still water. She could feel Isis's gaze on her face and hastily raised her eyes, smiling reassuringly.

"Nobody knows of my plans to return to Egypt, not even Rishid. I would be very grateful if you told no one about it."

"Of course," Anzu said, shifting on her feet restlessly. She had to get out of this house. She screaming inside, desperate to move, to do something other than stand and plaster false smiles on her lips. Her grip on this façade was fading and she was sure that she was about to break into a thousand pieces if she continued to hold her emotions in. Isis smiled faintly and at last, left the drawing room with Anzu following. "Where is your front door? I, uh, really need some air." Isis's eyes moved over her face, seeing and knowing far too much. She made no comment, however, simply making an indicative gesture to where the doors were. Anzu managed a quick 'thank you' and moved to the doors at as normal of a speed as she could.

Once outside, she ran around to the side of the house and leaned against the wall, taking in deep, cleansing breaths. Anzu closed her eyes, her eyebrows knitting together. Now that she was alone, she collapsed within herself, her hands and knees shaking, her lips trembling when she parted them to draw in a breath. She had been standing there for but five minutes when the soft sound of footsteps on grass alerted her to another's presence. She jolted upright, her eyes flashing open.

"Having another breakdown, Mazaki?" Marik asked rather contemptuously. He paused a few feet from her, his arms folded over his chest. She chose not to answer, not trusting herself with any type of speech. She merely stared at him, silent and attempting to control her shaking. He eyed her and then uncrossed his arms, saying, "I mentioned Isis moving Malik away, do you recall that?" She blinked, startled. "Her thoughts are transparent to those who actually watch her."

"You knew, then," Anzu stated flatly. "You _knew_ what she was planning."

"Stupid girl," he said in his low, rumbling voice. "Of course I knew. Why else would I have said that to you? To prepare you, what else? I had hoped you would have the intelligence not to meddle so you wouldn't find out until Isis had us on the plane back to Egypt. Instead, you chose to ignore me and do as you wish. You have only hurt yourself this time. You are the one to blame."

"You...are really heartless! All I have right now is Malik as a best friend and you couldn't have had the decency to be forthright for once in your life?!" She was suddenly angry at Marik, as if he were the one who had decided this rather than Isis. "You always have to be so cryptic and rude and...just heartless and awful!" She realized she was almost screaming at him and lowered her voice, hissing, "Do you take enjoyment out of my hurt? That must be why you even bother with me now. Every day I wake up something terrible happens and you must like that or something." She closed the space in between them and shoved against his shoulders, to take her fury out on somebody. He remained in place, watching her without any expression. "I hate you!! I hate how you think you know everything and...and..." Anzu heaved in a needed breath to continue on why she hated him, but instead she let her thoughts trail away as she stared at her hands that had been raised to shove at him again. Seeing that she was finished, Marik took her wrists and leaned forward slightly so that she was forced to meet his gaze.

"What you hate," he whispered, "is that it isn't going to be just Malik that you'll miss." Anzu stared at him in disbelief, searching for the anger that had existed just a moment ago. Finding nothing but sorrow, her face crumpled and she released a low moan, lowering her face. She was sick of him always seeing her cry and, more than anything else, she was sick of him being right. It _was_ Marik that she was going to miss. She wasn't even sure if she would miss Malik more than him and that frightened her more than anything else. All the wisdom and silent support that Marik gave her had done something, warped their relationship from simple acquaintanceship to friendship, if that. She couldn't even put a label on their relationship anymore; it was too strange to explain.

"I'm so tired of crying...," she murmured, blinking away tears. She raised her head and added, "I'm so tired of everything." He released his loose grip on her wrists and took a step back.

"Perhaps if you stopped comparing the real world to the fantasy world you've been living in, you wouldn't have as many reasons to cry," Marik said quietly. "Have you considered that?" He raised an eyebrow in question. Anzu simply stared at him, unwilling to admit that was likely the reason for most of her tears lately. "Go inside to Malik, Mazaki," he suggested, "and not a word about Egypt to him." He turned to leave, but Anzu's voice stopped his footsteps.

"Will you ever trust me as much as I trust you, Marik?" she asked.

"I trust you more than I trust myself," he replied, turning slightly to look at her. "If I can't even get that much trust from myself, wouldn't you say that is rather special?" He turned again and walked away from her, his hands in his pockets. Anzu watched him for a moment and then wrapped her arms around herself, one hand resting on her shoulder and her other arm twined around her waist. She rested her cheek against her hand and sighed.

"I guess so," Anzu absently said to herself.

_TBC_

X

DIS: It seems that the only time I get to update is when I am sick or skip work. I had a cold when I finished this, but the ideas came before I wrote it. Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying this. Sorry, once again and as always, for the late update. I really have been trying. Please leave a review, telling me how you think I did. Constructive criticism is always appreciated. Ciao!


	10. Fingerprints: Part X

DIS: Yeahh...I know, long wait. I apologize, as always. I simply haven't been motivated to write anything lately. I haven't actually been at home that much, either. I should think that this one to two month wait period is what you ought to expect from now on, what with school, life, and such. Thanks to the song, _Shattered _by Trading Yesterday and _Pieces_ by Red for inspiring me. **Thank you, thank you, thank you** to everyone that reviewed, I don't think I would be able to get through these chapters without knowing that people are following the story. With all that said, here is the next chapter!

X

_Fingerprints: Part X_

Anzu entered the Ishtar home and stared around her, breathing in the smell for a moment. She could smell spices – it smelled similar to the tea that she had drank – and a subtle scent of greenery lingered behind the first mixture. There was something haunting about Malik's home. It was so quiet and large and could be mistaken for an ancient home put on display. Nothing was out of place. Behind the scenes, however, there was Malik's messy room and perhaps Isis's and Rishid's and Marik's rooms were untidy, as well. The rooms that were in the public view were perfect and nothing was out of order. As she stood there, taking in the lonely surroundings, she heard footsteps and looked to the stairs to see Malik descending them. A wan smile lit his face up and made her heart sink with sadness. _Soon I won't ever be able to see him, _she mused as he came to a pause at the bottom of the stairs. _I'll never be able to go to him with my problems and he won't be there to understand me, to smile at me to make my day better. And without him, I won't have Marik with his cryptic clues that keep drawing me in further and further. I'll be left with nothing._

"You look a little upset," Malik said, his brows drawing together. "Did you and Isis get in a spat?"

"No...," Anzu replied slowly and gave a small smile, shaking her head. "No," she repeated. "It was really the opposite. I'm glad I talked to her. I forgot how understanding of a woman your sister was...with certain things, anyway. I meddled where I didn't belong, though, and now I'm not so sure that I helped Marik or made it worse." Her eyes drifted towards the ground in a brief, deep contemplation; she already knew the answer to her verbal pondering. Malik drew near and put a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to return her attention to him.

"What's wrong? Something's bothering you."

"And something's bothering you," she countered, knowing too well that his smile from the steps was a good indication as to how he was currently feeling. He sighed through his nostrils and she knew that this was not something he would compromise. He gave her shoulder a squeeze and then dropped his hand. "Malik...You're the best friend I could ever have," Anzu told him earnestly. "I would do anything for you."

"Sometimes," he said without looking at her, "that really worries me." Her brow wrinkled in confusion. "Let's go, I don't want to be here any longer." He guided her back through the house and kitchen to the garage. "I'm actually hardly ever home. I can't stand being here and the only time that I am is when Isis calls me back, which is rare. She generally lets me do as I please, so long as I show up the next morning, if not sooner." Anzu watched his face as he spoke and saw the tenseness in his jaw. It was clear that he had a conversation with his sister that had not gone at all smoothly. Once they were in the garage, he handed her the helmet. She stood by the motorcycle as he threw the kickstand up, holding the helmet in her hand, staring at him. When he noticed, he queried, "What?"

"I was just thinking...if I had gone to Julliard, what would you do? I would have been in another country."

"It would be hard," he confessed after a second of thinking, "but as long as we kept in contact, it would be as if you were still in Domino."

Anzu lowered her eyes to the helmet, turning it over and over in her hands and then hung it from the handlebar of the motorcycle and hugged Malik fiercely around the waist. He seemed tense, either from the conflict with his sister or from the sudden affection. After a moment's hesitation, he placed a hand on her head and smoothed it over her hair. He sighed, resting his cheek on her head. The tension eased out of his body. "Sometimes it's hard to live in a world that's so damn mean to a person, Anzu," he murmured absently. "I'm tired of all of this drama."

"So am I," she quietly answered. "For both of us." She slowly withdrew. "What did your sister say to you?"

"I don't want to talk about it here," he sighed. He picked up the helmet and handed it to her. She looked at it for a moment without saying anything or moving and then took it in her hands. A part of her did not want to know what Isis had said to him, but the other part that seemed so concerned in other people's problems did. Once he had settled on his bike and turned it on, she cuddled her body behind his and pulled herself close to him. The wind bit into her skin as he sped away from his house. She was unsure of where they were going and it did not really seem to matter to him, so long as they were not at his home. She understood that well, but it was not home for her. It was Domino. There were too many memories of Yuugi for her to want to be there most of the time. She was of the same mind when it came to Shibuya. She closed her eyes and allowed the hum of the motorcycle and chaos of traffic and people to lull her into a daydream.

When he slowed down and the speed continued to be sluggish, she opened her eyes and gave a surprised look to see that they were at Domino City's pier. He came to a stop and once his motorcycle was turned off, she removed her helmet and carefully stepped off so as to not burn herself. The pier was strangely empty with only the distance sounds of the city and waves lapping at the docks the sounds. "Is there where you go all the time?" she queried curiously.

"One of the places, yes," he replied, running his fingers through his hair to get the knots out. "There are several, some of which I doubt anyone would think about. I am sure Marik has found a few, as well, and likely much more obscure than the ones that I have found." He fell silent for a moment and then gave his head a slight shake. "Anzu, I don't blame you for liking Isis. When you need her and she likes you, she really will be there for you regardless of her own situation. But don't make her out as a saint, especially since you were always complaining about how she treated Marik." He sighed. "Naturally, she told me that it was foolish of me to bring a stranger into our home, explained that we were far too dysfunctional for a normal human being to deal with and all this other bullshit that I have never – and will never – believe. She's making up a bunch of excuses, as she always does."

"I don't understand..." Malik turned and simply stared at her, his mouth slowly drawing into a thin line.

"It had nothing to do with me bringing someone over; it had to do with me bringing _you_ over." For a moment, Anzu did not comprehend what he was saying and that felt embarrassed. Of course Isis would try and look out for him, especially when Anzu was the one that had virtually torn his heart to pieces with her rejection. Her helping Marik likely did not help matters. As if reading her mind, his mouth twisted into a dry smile and he said, "Yes, that and you're sudden involvement with Marik did more than displease her. My sister...she's very good at hiding her emotions. Living with our father, you were kind of required to do that."

Anzu's temper flared a bit and she demanded a bit harshly, "What is so wrong about Marik that I can't associate with him a bit?" He glanced at her and perhaps because his own temper was on edge did his look seem a little dark.

"You call this mere association? Anzu, you're defending his rights in a household that is bound to hate him and somehow, you managed to make him see you as a human worthy of attention rather than the scum that he usually views humans as. Why else would people be bothered that you associate with him? I don't suppose Yuugi and them even know that you talk to him."

"It's none of their business who I talk to or who I am friends with anymore," she snapped unintentionally. He blinked and she seemed to have briefly stunned him. Neither of them spoke, Malik's expression turning from anger to confusion. Her own temper waned as she realized Malik did not realize that she had conclusively ended her relationships with Jounouchi and Yuugi. Calming herself and taking a deep, beginning breath, she said, "They...never seemed to really treat me as a friend. Yuugi and Jounouchi, after becoming as close as they did, treated me and Honda and anyone else, really, like we were followers and they were the leaders of the universe. Our friendship isn't like yours and mine is. You're my best friend, Malik, and have, I guess, embodied my version of a friend. There's nothing we wouldn't do for each other. Yuugi and I used to be like that, but now..." She lifted her shoulders slightly in a defeated manner. Anzu was finished with crying over something that, it seemed, was inevitable.

He turned away from her, pushing a hand through his hair. "At least you finally understand." Her brow furrowed as she looked to him. He seemed reluctant to pursue the topic. "Do you know why it's so hard for me, Isis, Rishid, and especially Marik to find happiness, Anzu? We've _seen_ things. Our life was full of honesty, whether it be the good kind or the bad kind. We were never unaware of what happened in the world or why it happened. We knew through our own experiences, through the way that we saw things, and through the Sennen Items. Why do you suppose the pharaoh was always so solemn, why the tomb robber always said such cryptic things that no one else understood? They didn't see things through a rose coloured glass. I wasn't raised in the way that you and everyone else was. Modern day people now...They know nothing." He gave a slight smile. "And neither do you. That's why you've always been able to smile."

"I haven't been able to smile so easily lately," she murmured.

"Which I think is because of my own and Marik's influence. As much as I dislike him, he has a way of manipulating a person into really _seeing_ things. I never said anything about Yuugi because it was none of my business. Marik has no distinction between what he should and should not get involved in."

"But how did you know that it was because of Marik that I'm not friends with them anymore?"

"Because I know," he assured her quietly. "The fact that this has happened after holding conversations with Marik has me convinced. Besides that, I don't know how else you would have come to this kind of conclusion. There is no way that you would have done it by yourself. You've stayed their friends even while Jounouchi was in Shibuya and you met Marik that day that Yuugi left for Shibuya and yet it seemed that you steadily lost your friendship with him since that day – not because of the distance, but because of your own conflicting emotions. I have more or less stayed out of your way concerning your friendship with them, but I'm not so confident that Marik has. If he's going to become involved in something, then he's not going to do it half-assed and that's the truth. Especially if it's something he's never experience before and has no understanding of."

Anzu got an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach when his last sentence was spoken. There was something strangely ominous about it. She didn't quite understand the distinction he was making there, yet it did not seem anything good with how closed off his face became. She lowered her eyes to the ground, wondering again upon the intelligence of her decision to even become friends with Marik. She still could not help thinking about the new living situation that Malik would be dealing with soon. She wanted to say something to him, but dared not when both Marik and Isis had advised her otherwise. "Do you think that Marik doesn't understand human emotions? He's human now, isn't he, so he probably understands them well enough by now..."

"The majority of emotions?" he queried. "Of course, but there are some he is still ignorant about. The warmer kinds, mostly, although I'm sure he's observed people long enough to get a general idea. The difference between logical observation and experience is a huge one, Anzu, and once he realizes the difference...I'm not sure he'll function with as much stability as he has since becoming human."

She had no response for this, unwilling to even consider Marik as unstable. She viewed him as a pillar of strength in her life, the only variable that was constant. She turned her gaze upon the long stretch of water that floated out from the pier. The shimmering dark blue rippled with the slight breeze that crossed it. It was a calming sight and the sound of the city seemed far away. She caught a glimpse of Malik's face. He seemed somewhere deep within his mind, something that made her curious and worried her at the same time. Whenever he became so broodingly pensive, she wondered if she was going to lose him to his dark thoughts. She reached out and took his cold hand, squeezing it hard, holding onto him as if he were trying to escape. His fingers closed over hers just as hard.

"Every day I'm afraid I'm going to lose you, Anzu," he said in a faint voice, staring straight ahead, caught up in some thought of his. "You can't imagine what it means to have you as my friend." He paused and his next words echoed her earlier thoughts. "Don't ever leave me."

"I won't," she promised softly. "I promise."

He looked to her and offered a smile, giving her hand another squeeze before releasing it and tucking his hands in his pockets. They stood next to each other for a bit longer, the tension of their earlier conversations long erased. Anzu felt a pressure behind her eyes, one of which she knew well at this point. She could not handle crying again, much less in front of Malik when it seemed he was emotional as her. She closed her eyes and felt a few stray tears escape from behind her eyelids. _This is what I want, _she mused. _To have someone that I know will always be there for me and expects that same from me. To think that I won't have someone to stand by me like this, to be so honest...I can't even think of it._

She felt him move and then he was hugging her. She bit her lip from crying and pushed her cheek against his shoulder, holding him tight. "I know I said this once before," he murmured, "but I love you, Anzu."

This time, she said nothing.

X

Anzu sighed as soon as she walked in the door. After removing her shoes and entering the house, she paused and stared around her. Her home seemed foreign somehow. She frowned and then sniffed her sleeve, realizing it smelled like Malik. Sighing again, this time in resignation, she trudged up to her room and threw herself unceremoniously onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her door was still open wide, but she did not care. She was remembering what Malik had told her before she gone into the house.

"_I know how much you wanted to go to Julliard," he said, his motorcycle purring as it idled, "and I think it would be good for you to go. There's still a chance for you to get in if you retake the entrance exams. I can help you study and get prepared. It's not like I have anything else all that important to do. Tomorrow, let's go to the library and get some information of what you need to study."_

"_But Malik, what about money? I don't even have the funds to go to Julliard...," she said without much conviction. Malik was an idea man; he had a solution for everything._

"_Once you get through the exams and get your acceptance letter, then we'll worry about that." He smiled. "We're going to get you to New York and into that school one way or another."_

He was willing to put her into a different country so that she could live her dream. That meant quite a bit on his part. He didn't yet know that he was returning to Egypt and expected to simply be sitting around in Japan while she was in school. He was parting from her so that she could be happy. It made her heart ache and made her wish that she could love him the same way that he loved her.

She sighed again and sat up, digging around in her purse for her phone and discovering that she had several missed calls and texts. She frowned and then browsed through her missed calls log to find that they were all from Jounouchi and Yuugi. Her texts were from the same people, with one from Honda and one from Shizuka. The few that were from Yuugi or Jounouchi said either _Call me_ or, in Jounouchi's case, _Anzu we need to talk pronto!!!!_ Shizuka's said, _Have you talked to Jounouchi or Yuugi yet? Sorry sorry sorry!! :((( _and Honda's said, _Hey girl whats up? You want to hang tomorrow night? Play some PS2? lol_

Anzu had a vague suspicion that Shizuka might have said something about her speaking to Marik to Yuugi and Jounouchi. She responded to Honda's text, saying, _Lets do it, is Miho going to be there too?? Can I invite a friend? _and deleted the rest of her texts and her missed calls log.

After taking her phone off silent and putting her ringer back on, her phone vibrated and she received a text from Shizuka saying, _You should come out to Shibuya tonight. Its important. PLEASE!_ Anzu sat staring at her phone for a moment and just as she was about to reply, she got a text back from Honda. Opening it, she read the response that said, _Yup she is and thats cool w/us. Text you tomorrow the time ;) _She closed it and then responded to Shizuka, _Leaving my house now. _The female quickly answered, _great!!! Come to my house, thx!!_

Anzu knew that there was going to be an argument. It wasn't as if she didn't know her friends by now, most especially Jounouchi. However, it was best to get this out of the way now rather than let it continue. She left the comfort of her house and ventured into Domino and to the subway station. As she stood waiting for the subway to stop, she noticed a familiar male standing some ways from her. She blinked and then hesitated. She did not usually run into Marik twice in one day. Hesitantly, she wound her way through the crowds and stopped beside him. His eyes flickered towards her, but he remained silent until the subway came to a complete stop. "Going to cause some drama, Mazaki?"

"To get rid of any drama," she corrected him.

"Hm."

"And where are you going?"

A slow smile curled his lips upward, one of pure mischief. "To cause some drama in Shibuya," he replied, "and it seems I'm right in time for a party." She stared at him for a long moment. "I cannot leave Domino without giving a proper farewell, can I? It would be rude of me." She noticed some tension in his jaw and had a slightly embarrassed feeling, realizing that there was something behind his visit to Shibuya that had to do with her. She turned away, pointing her eyes to the ground.

"Shouldn't you take your own advice and stay out of other people's business and keep to your own?" she queried.

"I never take my own advice," he said calmly, stepping forward towards the subway. She didn't move. He paused and looked back at her, adding, "And this _is _my business."

_TBC_

X

DIS: My break is coming up next week. I got back from Seattle yesterday and was exhausted, so I stayed home from work. I have one more day of work and then I get a couple weeks where I can dedicate myself to writing. This story is coming to a gradual close. I am _so_ very sorry for not updating sooner, guys. I felt terrible, really, but then I had to force myself through some essays that I did on last minute for some classes and broke through my writer's block, so here I am! Please leave a review telling me how you liked it, what you don't like, if I've lost my touch in the past months and whatnot. Ciao!!


	11. Fingerprints: Part XI

DIS: I wrote this whilst in the middle of painting my room, although when I finished it, my room was done and I just had a stroke of inspiration...Anyway! Thank you all **SOOOO **much for reviewing. I have to say that I had forgotten what it was like to get reviews because I haven't written in so long...It's a wonderful, warm feeling. In any case, here is the next chapter. Enjoy!

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_Fingerprints: Part XI_

Anzu opened her eyes slowly, staring across her at the man that seemed to be falling asleep, his newspaper clutched in his hands. The rock and uncommon silence of the train had even relaxed her tense mind somewhat; enough so that she could rest, at least. She turned her head slightly to look at her companion. She was unsure of what to make of this abrupt change in her plans. Marik appeared to be unfazed by her gaze, sitting with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. She turned away from him again and staring at the brown shoes of the man across from her; they were scuffed around the front. _I don't understand what's going on,_ she mused to herself, blinking slowly. Her mind felt sluggish, as if she had been drugged. _How did Marik even know that he had become involved in my so-called friendship with Yuugi and Jounouchi? Shizuka, I don't think, is as bothered by Marik and I as friends as the other two are, Jounouchi especially I would bet. I don't even care what they think. The Ishtars, even Isis on some level, have treated me as a better companion than they ever have. I can't let myself back down this time, though...I've always been afraid of what they were going to think or how they would react. This time I don't care._

These were not just words for Anzu; she knew that she would be able to stand up to them. However, she also knew that she was drawing on Marik's strength, using it as her own and bolstering herself against what she knew was going to be a tough encounter. Yuugi used Jounouchi in a similar way, the latter being the prime aggressor in such situations. Yet, she wondered if Marik did not already know this and he did not intend to start any real conflict, but to be there so that she might be given a chance to show a stronger side of her of which her friends were unaware. If that were the case, she could not help but be unnerved.

_If that is true, _she thought, _he knows me better than I know myself. _

She threw a look at him and this time he opened his eyes and glanced at her through the corner of her eye. She almost looked away, but held the stare. He chuckled through his nose, a smirk forming on his lips. "You're becoming more confident, I see," he remarked, closing his eyes again.

"I've always been confident of myself," Anzu replied, immediately on the offensive.

"No," he responded, "you were simply good at lying to yourself and others. How does it feel to deceive yourself so well that you don't even know who you are any longer, Mazaki?"

Stung, Anzu fell silent and dropped her eyes to the floor again. "Sometimes," she began quietly, "I wonder about you, Marik. Not in a passing kind of way, but where I will sit and think for a long time. Sometimes I think you're trying to help me, other times I think you're just trying to hurt me. I would like to think the best of you. It's really hard when I look at where that type of thinking has gotten me. So I try to look at the surface, and do you know what I see?" He opened his eyes and turned to her, a vague look of interest crossing his face. "Nothing. I didn't spend all my time observing humans and trying to understand them – I spent my time making relationships _with _those humans. Maybe it wasn't the best thing to do seeing as how I've ended up getting hurt so much, but I learned from it, too. You don't always have to stay on the sidelines to learn things. Life isn't a constant scientific experiment, Marik...it's something you interact with."

"Touching, Mazaki," he sarcastically drawled after a pause. "I've heard it from you enough times, though, so I hardly need to hear it again. I interact in life more than you imagine." He turned away and resumed his comfortable position. "Simply living has changed the course of several people's lives. That change which evolves from my life source is enough dramatic interaction for one person." Anzu stared at him, her lips parted slightly in surprise. She opened her mouth and then clamped it shut. She was attempting to argue with a man that was planning on assisting her in his own strange way; she knew this to be true.

Once the train came to a stop in Shibuya, Anzu was the first to get off and leave the subway on her own. She paused outside, however, waiting for her companion. He was not far behind and throughout the walk they were silent. Although she was unbothered by any argument that she would have with Yuugi or Jounouchi, she was still somewhat anxious. Exchanging fighting words with people was nothing – she had constantly done so with Kaiba. But this? This was an entirely different thing altogether. She had not ever truly despised Yuugi and Jounouchi – they had been her friends.

A pain in her wrist brought her attention to how tight she was gripping her purse. Loosening her grip, she sighed heavily. "This is something that has to be done, right? I'm not making a mistake?"

"Your view on mistakes is what constitutes it as a mistake," he replied blandly. Anzu turned to look at him, a worried expression on her face. There was a growing shadow on his face, signaling that although his words were indifferent, his real opinion was something altogether different. She turned her eyes away from him, unable to handle any disappointment or lack of respect that she might see upon his face; she watched her feet and listened to the hum of noise around her instead. It was impossible to ignore Marik, though. He walked close, with little to no regard for her personal space.

"It isn't a mistake," she said at last.

"Good to see you regained your reason," he coldly responded. To this, she said nothing.

Every step to Shizuka's seemed heavier and when they were at the apartment complex that Shizuka lived at, she paused uncertainly. Marik continued a few steps and then stopped, turning round to look at her with his usual, distant gaze. Strangely enough, he did not say anything. Any other person would have said, "Come on," or "Hurry up, let's get this over with," but he was letting her make her own moves. He offered no encouragement and no discouragement, only his presence. Which, in reality, was enough to keep Anzu moving forward. As she came up to him, he did an odd thing. His arm moved up behind her and his fingers glided from her shoulder to her elbow and then along her back before his arm returned to its natural position by his side. She glanced at him in surprise. He acted as if nothing out of the original had happened, simply staring ahead of him.

_It almost seemed like he was reassuring me, _Anzu thought to herself. The gesture both pleased and confused her.

As soon as they came to the apartment number that Shizuka lived in, Anzu felt another hint of anxiety. She stared at the door, hearing voices inside, one of which was louder than the others; loud and wild, which could only belong to Jounouchi. Anzu tightened her fingers into a ball and then raised a hand to knock, but Marik abruptly put a hand on her fist. She turned to him in question.

"Are you prepared?" he queried. "Remember the fantasy that you made out with these people, Mazaki. You followed them through several tournaments and endeavors without receiving an appreciation. Can you handle ending what you have believed, until recently, to be a healthy friendship?"

Anzu looked away, interested in spite of herself at how he worded it. He used her positive view to combine with the realistic facts. "Yes," she answered, looking at him, "because I can finally move on and be myself again."

"Oh, indeed, move on. I wouldn't go so far as to the latter part of that statement, though." An amused, almost playful smirk lifted his lips and he raised a hand, stroking her face. It wasn't a brush of skin on skin, but a lingering touch. "You don't even know who you are anymore, my dear." He lowered his hand, brushing her hair from her face and then knocked on the door, keeping his eyes trained on her. He stepped back after knocking. The voices inside grew hushed, but Anzu's mind had become absorbed in Marik's touch and the warmth of his hand. She was not allowed to occupy herself with the thought for long, though, as the click of a lock jarred her back to the present event that was unfolding.

"Anzu," Shizuka said as soon as she opened the door and saw her friend. "You were fast, thank goodness." She embraced Anzu and then sucked in a shocked breath. "Oh...Oh, no, what is he doing here?" she lowered voice and then shut the door. "Anzu, this isn't a good idea!" Her frightened gaze flicked between Anzu and Marik. "Jounouchi will freak, he really will. You know how he feels after Mai was in the Shadow Realm during Battle City and then him ending up there, too..."

"It doesn't matter to me anymore," Anzu calmly told her. Shizuka looked puzzled. "I don't care what either Yuugi or Jounouchi think about what I do or who I associate with." She took Marik's hand and added, "He's my friend." Marik did not remove his hand from her grip, although his fingers twitched somewhat. She suspected he had not been expecting it. Shizuka's lips parted and she stared at their hands and then she simply blew out a long breath.

"This could end yours and my brother's friendship."

"I don't think Jounouchi and I were ever really friends."

Shizuka bit her lip and shook her head, but opened the door to allow them inside. As they went inside, Anzu's fingers began to release Marik's, but his loose, uncaring grip tightened so their hands remained in each other's. It startled her, though she did not jerk away as she might have had it been someone else. _Oh, what is this? _she wondered, adjusting her hand so it fit better in his. _I introduced him as my friend, but Yuugi and Jounouchi are going to assume otherwise. I could even see it in Shizuka's eyes that she thought there was something else going on between us. And...even though I keep saying he's my friend, a part of me knows that there is more to it than that. There is something there that Malik feels for me...that I feel for Marik. _The feeling frightened her. She didn't even care about her break with Yuugi and Jounouchi anymore. It was this confusing new relationship that she cared most about.

"Anzu," Yuugi greeted when they walked in the living room. He smiled at her and then smiled at Marik. "Hello, Marik."

"Please, sit down," Shizuka bade them, ushering towards the couch. It was farthest from Jounouchi and had an empty seat between it where she sat. Jounouchi glared hatefully at them both, his expression turning even more hostile when he saw that their hands were clasped. "Thank you so much for coming when you did, Anzu," Shizuka said as a brief silence passed in the room. "You see, I...Well, I told Jounouchi about your friendship with Marik – " here Shizuka made an indicative gesture with her hand towards where Marik seated beside Anzu " – and he told Yuugi and they, um..."

"We're just concerned," Yuugi explained when Shizuka turned towards them a bit pleadingly. "Marik wasn't that great of a person last we checked and we wanted to make sure you weren't making a mistake." He smiled kindly, as if to dull the hidden insult in his words. "Nothing personal of course, Marik," he added to Anzu's male companion, "it's just a precaution. We don't want her getting hurt, you know, like being sent to the Shadow Realm, hahaha..."

"Hm," was the noncommittal response that Marik offered.

Inwardly, Anzu was seething.

"Nothing personal?" Anzu repeated in a tight voice. Her grip on Marik's hand tightened and instead of trying to calm her down and returning her grip, he gave her free reign. Yuugi's smile turned quizzical. He was completely oblivious of what he had unleashed. "Are you kidding me, Yuugi? This entire thing is personal! You guys are just butt hurt because I'm friends with one of your worst enemies! Just look at Jounouchi! He's clearly reliving Battle City and thinking he's the same person. You wouldn't even give him a chance. All of you two wanted to do was rant and rave at me and you can't because you're _afraid_ because Marik's here."

"What?" Jounouchi snapped. "Afraid? Why would I be afraid of him? He's nothing! And yeah, I'm gonna think about Battle City and expect him to be the rat bastard that he was then – "

"You don't know anything!" Anzu exploded unexpectedly, lurching to her feet, releasing Marik's hand. Jounouchi rose to his as well, not to be towered over by a woman. "You have no idea what he and Malik have been through since returning to Domino!"

"Oh, that's right," Jounouchi sneered, "you talk to Malik, too. So not only are you foolin' around with _him_, but – "

"_Excuse me?_ What did you just say? How dare you even imply that I would be that kind of person – "

"Well you sure like to hold his hand, don't ya?!" Jounouchi's voice rode over hers. Anzu was good at arguing, but Jounouchi was good at being loud. "Just look at you! You're defending someone that put two of your best friends' in the Shadow Realm and wanted to kill Yuugi and the Pharaoh! And this is how you're gonna do it, huh? You're gonna go off and be friends with a murderer, Anzu!"

"Best friend?" she scoffed. "Come off it, Jounouchi, as if you and Yuugi ever treated me or Honda, Ryou, or Otogi or Miho like friends. It was always you two! Always! Honda and I just tagged along and helped you guys but you never even cared. It didn't matter to either of you, we were just your little fan club and that's all you viewed us as. If you had cared so much about us and weren't so self-centered, then the four of us would still be friends. Why do you think Honda never talks to you, huh? Because you both are jerks! You're nothing but selfish, childish JERKS. If you actually think that I give a damn about what you think about me or who I hang out with, then you've got another thing coming. Neither you nor Yuugi mean a thing to me. You're just these people that treated me like dirt for the majority of my life and ruined my chances of getting into Julliard. I _hate_ you and I hate him and I hate how close-minded you are when it comes to other people."

There was a long silence after Anzu had fallen quiet. Her cheeks were flushed with anger and Jounouchi simply stood in shock, staring at her. Yuugi's smile seemed to have permanently vanished and he was staring at his lap in some shame. Shizuka looked hurt, as if she had been included in the pair that she hated, but Anzu knew it was because she was hurt more for her brother than anything. Anzu closed her eyes to calm herself and then cleared her throat.

"I'm done with you two," she said in a much quieter voice. "Don't try and become my friend. It's not worth your time." She turned slightly to look at Marik, but he was already rising off the couch.

"Wait," Jounouchi said as they started to leave. "Why did you even come, Marik? You didn't even say anything." There was a bit of fight left in his voice, as if he were attempting to provoke Marik into an argument. Anzu raised her eyes to Marik's face. He met her gaze and smirked, amused, before turning to look back at the blonde. Jounouchi stiffened when his heavy-lidded gaze settled on him.

"To make you realize how worthless you both really are," he said in a smug, languid manner. "You lost something valuable that you are never going to get back from me." Yuugi raised his head at last and seemed a bit infuriated by his words. That did not compare to the livid red colour of Jounouchi's face. When the act of constructing sentences left a man's mind, he always resorted to violence. Jounouchi plunged forward, cocking his arm back. Anzu stumbled away to avoid getting in the midst of it, confident that Marik could handle it, which he most certainly could. He grasped Jounouchi's wrist and his knee pummeled into the latter's gut. A choking sound was heard from Jounouchi before he went limp. Marik dropped him unceremoniously on the ground and Shizuka gasped and hastened to her brother's side. "Perhaps you should teach your brother some manners."

"Anzu!" Shizuka cried as Marik turned and joined Anzu. She hesitated, looking at her friend's upset face and then to Marik. She was vaguely aware that if she turned away from Shizuka now, she might not be able to come back to her. At the same time, if she turned back, she would have lost all the victory she received from her long exposition to Jounouchi.

"_Your view on mistakes is what constitutes it as a mistake."_

_It won't be a mistake in the long run, _she decided, lowering her eyes. Marik's hands were in his pockets, so she took his arm instead. _I can't keep letting myself be controlled by Yuugi and Jounouchi...and Shizuka, on some level. If she were a real friend, she will understand and get over it. If not, then that means I've just eliminated another person who has been faking it._ She didn't look back in the living room where Shizuka, Jounouchi, and Yuugi were. She put her shoes on and continued out the door with Marik. Her heart didn't feel as heavy and she felt stronger and happier than she had in days. She smiled to herself and then, realizing what she was doing, removed her hands from his arm. He did not even look at her, continuing forward silently. As she followed him through the streets of Shibuya and towards the subway, she pondered vaguely upon his comment to Jounouchi.

_What did he mean by that? It almost sounded like he was...calling me valuable, _she mused silently to herself. _I would say that it's stupid to actually think that he feels that way about me, but I know that him just being interested in me is enough to make it seem that I'm different. I'm not, really, and I still don't know why he even decided to start talking to me. _"Marik," she began, "I have a question."

"And I suppose you require an answer," he remarked.

Ignoring the sarcasm, she continued, "Why did you ever start talking to me or taking an interest in me?"

"That is a presumptuous question, Mazaki," Marik said, "and an interesting time to choose to ask it." He paused, as though he were collecting his thoughts and then continued, "There was no initial motive behind it. I was simply bored. Your obvious self-delusion is what motivated me to, as you say, 'take an interest in you.' Other than that, I can say you are the more intelligent of your group, unless you count Kaiba." He stopped walking when they were fairly close to the subway and asked, "How do things feel now? After stripping yourself of the delusions?"

"It feels..." She sighed and shook her head, smiling. "I don't know what it feels like, but compared to the dread and depression that I felt when I was still their friend, it feels amazing. It's like I'm free and can actually smile at anyone without fear that there is going to be any disapproval from them. Wow, I never thought it was that bad. I never realized what they were doing to me until now, I guess."

"Mm." Anzu turned her smiling face to his and felt a tiny frisson run up her spine at the probing look he gave her. There was something foreign and unknown in his expression that she was unable to interpret. It was hard enough trying to understand Marik as himself without adding an additional complication. "I do not believe that you could say what you did without my being there or without me even saying something. Would you have been able to?"

"No," she slowly told him. "No, I honestly don't think I could have." She folded her arms behind her and closed her eyes, leaning backwards a bit. "It's weird, because I never thought that I would put so much trust in you, Marik. Never would I have thought I would get as close to you as I have. You and Malik have become my strength. I seemed to have lost it since Jounouchi left Domino. Now that I don't even have to depend on him or Yuugi...I feel like I've developed my own strength."

"That is how it should be," he told her. "Despite how many modern humans depend on one person or another – or one thing or another – it is unnatural. Isis, Malik, and even Rishid all depend on their own strength."

"And you?"

"If I am your strength, would that not suggest that I am the same as Malik and his family are?" The conversation was at its end, or at least that seemed to be his conclusion. He continued to walk and after standing for a few seconds, Anzu followed, stepping quickly so that she might catch up to him.

"I think there are still things that you don't understand even if you think otherwise, Marik," she said to him.

"There is one thing, for certain, that I don't understand," he calmly replied.

"What is that?"

In his usual fashion, he ignored the question as if she had never spoken at all.

_TBC_

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DIS: So, the original chapter ended in a very smutty, OOC scene, so I had to modify it and rewrite the last two pages. In any case, a little bit of romance – as much as I can give when writing their relationship in this manner – and some more cryptic remarks from our favorite guy, lol. Please leave a review telling me how you liked it and whatnot. Ciao!


	12. Fingerprints: Part XII

DIS: Wow, how long as it been? Wayyy too long. I've been nerding out lately on anime box sets and manga, so when I started to work on my mid-term exam for my Jurisprudence class, I got through half of the introduction and then did this instead. Bad student, bad student. Anyway, **thank you EVERYONE** for reviewing. I love reading your guys' feedback, it's wonderful. Here's part twelve! Enjoy!

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_Fingerprints: Part XII_

The library was empty when Anzu entered it. She took in a deep breath and released it in a long, slow breath as she stared around her. She could not imagine why, but libraries had always intimidated her. There was something austere about them, almost too sacred for her to touch. The smell of books, old and new, filled her nose. Stepping further into Domino Public Library, she glanced at the circulation desk where two librarians were conversing in low voices, friendly smiles on their aged faces. Some ways from there was the reference desk where another librarian sat, talking to a pre-teen girl that was leaning over the desk, listening intently. And across from the reference desk was a long line of computers. Around this center area were bookshelves and she could make out tables and comfortable chairs near the window at the other end of the library. Wiping her suddenly sweaty palms upon her denim skirt, she released a breath and mumbled, "Okay. I can do this."

"Do what exactly? It's just a library."

She blinked at Malik beside her. He raised a teasing eyebrow at her and then chuckled, shaking his head and moving towards one of the catalog computers. A little anxiously, she followed him and looked around her. There were people of all characters in the library. Malik sat down and she leaned an elbow on his head and watched as he typed on a keyboard and hit 'enter' in the catalog search. She grimaced slightly at the long list of results, but Malik appeared unfazed.

_I've never had to study for anything before, _she thought as Malik scrolled through the list of results and took a piece of provided scratch paper and a small pencil to copy the call numbers. _I've never had straight 100s or anything like that, but I've gotten by with decent grades so long as my attendance was good._ _But it's clear that I'm not going to get anywhere in life if I can't pursue my dream of being a dancer. I _have_ to get into Julliard. _Malik began to copy some of the call numbers, checking certain results and skimming through the details. _I'm so thankful that I have Malik to help me. I would have simply given up on it if he hadn't pushed me into trying again. I never would have just given up that easily had I been in a normal state of mind. I would have been stubborn and kept to what I believed in...was I really that tattered from Jounouchi and Yuugi? How could I have let myself become like that?_

"Alright," Malik sighed, refreshing the page to the home catalog search and standing up, causing it so that her arm slipped off his head. "I think these are going to be able to help us." He pushed the chair in and returned the pencil to its place, keeping the scratch paper that now had a combination of letters and numbers on it. Anzu caught sight of two girls that were sitting at a computer beside them, eyeing Malik with blatant interest. One of them, with her elbows on the desk and her head in her hands, smirked up at him, trying to catch his eye. "Hey, you okay?" Malik queried, knocking her against the head lightly with his knuckles. She blinked and then smiled.

"Yeah, sorry, I was just spacing out for a bit. My first time in this library and all," she said light-heartedly. He rolled his eyes. She was glad for the banter after the rather emotional day yesterday. Her mind wandered back to the girls at the computer and as Malik headed off towards the bookshelves, she glanced behind her at the girls, both of whom watched him walk away wistfully. _I guess I forgot how attractive Malik was to girls, _she mused to herself, turning away and following Malik. _I would bet if they knew how he felt about me, they'd want to know why I wasn't dating him and they wouldn't even understand how I could feel the way I do. I'm just glad that I don't have to be subjected to those kinds of questions. No...but I do get accused of things with Marik. _

Shaking away Jounouchi's rude comments from the day before and pushing those thoughts from her head, she trailed after Malik as he collected practice exam booklets. Soon enough, she had a pile in her arms and found herself shifting her hands to keep the hard edges from biting into her skin. As he knelt to find the last one, she opened one to the middle and stared down with a furrowed brow at the question. It was asking for a translation of a sentence in English. She shook her head slightly and muttered, "What?" in utter bemusement.

"Did you say something?" Malik asked, rising to his feet with the book in hand. His eyes followed the question that she was looking at and he took the booklet and closed it quite firmly. "Never start at the middle and especially never at the end. Always start at the beginning." She stared at him skeptically. "I know it sounds weird when you're talking about exam books, but the same rule that applies to fiction applies to these, too. You'll just cause yourself more anxiety otherwise."

"Anzu!" Startled, she turned her gaze to the end of the aisle to see Miho waving at her, shuffling hastily down the narrow aisle. Anzu noticed that Miho was wearing glasses now and instead of a high pony tail, she had braided her lavender hair to hang over her shoulder. She beamed at her and then her eyes moved to Malik, widening slightly as she realized whose Anzu's companion happened to be. Malik's eyebrows drew down slightly, a subtle defensive gesture. Anzu's body tensed as she waited for Miho's verbal reaction to him. "Oh, wow, how are you?" was the best that Miho could muster. Which, considering how she was caught off guard, wasn't all that bad. Malik seemed to relax a bit.

"I'm doing...better."

Miho smiled at him, the dry humor not escaping her. Turning back to Anzu, Miho caught sight of the books that were in her hands and with a bitter twist to her mouth, she asked, "Studying for that, too, huh? Honda said that you were having as big of problems as we are in that area. I'm so glad that you're getting it together, though, Anzu. That's more than he and I can say. We're really avoiding it. But then, we've already passed that particular bridge. I wish you would have come to the library sooner...I've really been wanting to see you."

Surprised, Anzu said, "Oh...thank you. I've been wanting to come see you as well. But, um, my arms are really starting to hurt here. Could I go check these out and then we can talk?" Miho blinked and then put her hands to her mouth in sudden horror. While Shizuka was sweet, with a stubborn streak like her brother, Miho was gentle and had odd gestures to maintain her polite serenity. One of her favorites was putting her fingertips to her lips when she felt bad about something she had done, a motion she had just done. Anzu's friend had changed very little.

"Of course, of course! I'm sure I can take my break now and they won't mind. Hurry up, I'll meet you outside in the front."

The books were checked out on Malik's library card and after they were stamped and bagged, they left, each of them holding a bag. Malik, ever the gentleman, tried to take the second bag but Anzu had very adamantly wrapped it around her wrist so that if he attempted to take it, he would rip her arm off in the process. Miho smiled at them as they met her outside and she ushered them to a café a few blocks away. "So, Malik," she addressed the quiet male as they walked, "are you going to be joining Anzu at mine and Honda's place tonight? Anzu had asked if she could bring a friend and I just assumed that it would be you. I think it would be a lot of fun. We're thinking of going out dancing, karaoke, and then some PS2 and sake to finish the night. How does that sound to you two? Honda is really looking forward to it."

"Oh...I actually haven't even asked him yet, Miho," Anzu admitted, feeling a little embarrassed. Malik smiled as both girls became flustered.

"Oh...oh, I'm sorry, Anzu," Miho apologized, blushing a bit.

"By the way, I'd love to go," Malik said, adding to their embarrassment. Anzu nudged him with her hip and he nudged her back. They entered the café, with Miho smiling at their teasing gestures. They settled at a table and ordered their drinks and the two females shared a pastry. Malik became easily comfortable with Miho and vice versa. Anzu drank her tea as the two of them began a discussion about festivals, Miho expressing deep distress in hearing that Malik had never been to a summer festival and had never worn a traditional kimono. "And besides," he pointed out, "it's not as if I would look good in a kimono anyway. What Egyptian have you seen wearing a Japanese kimono?" This made Miho pause and laugh, turning her wrist towards her face as she did so. He chuckled, shaking his head and taking a drink of the coffee he had ordered.

Miho's laugh jarred Anzu's sensitive spirit, knocking it around inside her body. She stilled it with some difficult, drinking from her cup to hide the brief falter in her smile. A weird, bubbling sensation formed in her stomach and she pushed it down, suddenly frightened. She wanted nothing to do with whatever was trying to erupt in her. It was a familiar sensation that she couldn't quite recall and considering that the majority of the emotions she had been experiencing were negative ones, she was not all that eager to grasp upon the one that was trying to wiggle its way back into her spectrum of emotions.

"What have you been up to, Anzu?" Miho asked, checking the time on her phone.

"Not much, really...," she admitted after hesitating a beat. She controlled herself from looking to Malik for assistance in the question. _It's time to take steps by yourself again, Anzu, _she reminded herself. _You can't keep looking to someone else to help you. _She smiled and added, "I really admire you and Honda, Miho." Her friend tilted her head, a puzzled look crossing her face. "I mean, I couldn't even realize what terrible friends Yuugi and Jounouchi were until I found a true friend." This time, she allowed her eyes to move to Malik. Miho also looked to him and her mouth curved upward. He ignored their gazes, eating the rest of the pastry they hadn't finished. "Even Shizuka has been brainwashed by them. I'm so envious of your guys' ability to break away from them."

"I wasn't close enough to them to care," Miho said softly, "and I had to be Honda's strength. I think that sometimes, in this kind of situation, you just need a helping hand." Miho held out a hand to exemplify what she meant. "When it comes to matters of the heart, you can't depend on your own strength, Anzu. The heart is so feeble." She put her hand to her chest, closing her eyes. "When it opens itself the way that you and Honda do, it can be chained to something so easily. It doesn't even realize it until it endures repeated pain and your heart muddles your brain. Your brain acknowledges the pain and finds the source, but your heart keeps reminding you of the attachments that you have to the source of that pain. The tears that you shed from that pain are different than the tears that you'll shed when someone else is breaking those attachments. It's the good kind, that kind that is necessary. And in the end, you'll feel liberated." Miho lowered her hand and opened her eyes. "You won't know it immediately, but you're happier this way, Anzu. I promise you that you are...and Honda would make the same promise, I am sure of it."

Anzu nodded, rather stunned at this exposition that Miho had delivered to her. She took note that Malik had paused to listen to her and appeared thoughtful.

"It takes a strong person to be able to see those tears while breaking those attachments," Malik said at last. Miho turned to look at him and inclined her head in agreement.

"That is too true of a statement, Malik. But to love someone is to take pain for the person whom you love."

"Yes," he responded slowly, "I know."

They decided who would take the bill with a round of rock-paper-scissors, with Malik losing, something that the girls accused him of doing on purpose. He simply said, "Then I must be pretty clever to be able to cheat at rock-paper-scissors," to which they conceded defeat and allowed him to take the bill. Malik and Anzu walked Miho to the library and the two females exchanged numbers and she waved farewell to them before going inside.

Afterward, Malik and Anzu retired to her home to begin perusing the exam booklets, a task that Anzu was dreading. With Malik's help though, they were able to pick three out of the eight books that would be their primary sources. They began to go through the chosen three more thoroughly, with Anzu becoming more intimidated the further they got in the books. She did not allow her nervousness to show, listening intently to what Malik suggested she study. She copied the questions in a notebook, along with the answers and several equations. For just the first day of studying, it was a lot of information to take in. Anzu's phone vibrating roused them from their study session.

"Oh, it's from Miho," Anzu announced after throwing herself across Malik's legs on the bed where they were situated. She laid there and opened the text. It read, _sooo, its almost time to go clubbing! how about we get ready together at ur place? sound good? :) _Anzu looked at Malik in question.

"I'll have to go back home to get a shower anyway," he told her, "and then I can meet you at the club if you just text me later where and when you want to meet."

"That'll work." She texted back, _yeah malik is going to meet us down at the club. think honda could meet us there too and we can just walk down? _Almost immediately Miho texted back, _thats perfect! see you in five! _"She was already on her way over it looks like...," Anzu mumbled, smiling in spite of herself.

"Tonight will be good for you, Anzu," Malik said as they rose from the bed and tidied up the exam booklets and set them underneath her bed neatly. She followed him downstairs, not quite sure what he meant by that. He put on his shoes and paused, taking her head and kissing the top of it. "I'll see you soon." He released her and raised a hand in farewell, smiling. She waved and soon after he had departed Miho arrived with her arms full of things.

"I was so surprised when I saw Malik with you," Miho said, sitting on Anzu's bed in her undergarments. Both girls had been through this routine before, the only difference being that Shizuka was generally with them. Anzu stood in front of her closet, also with as little clothing as Miho. "I didn't recognize him at first and hadn't even thought he was with you, but was just another patron. I felt like such an idiot, though, staring at him the way I did. It was so rude." She sighed and took a brush and began to pull it through her long hair. "Honda just snickered at me when I told him about it. He was totally cool with it, though, and seemed genuinely happy." She paused and patted her brush on the palm of her hand. Anzu removed a shirt from the closet and waited for the inevitable question. "Say, Anzu...you and him aren't...you know..."

She sighed. "No, we're not."

"But it just seems like..."

"I know," Anzu said, smiling. "He's...in love with me, but I just love him as a really good friend."

"Ohhh," Miho exhaled, nodding. "That explains _every_thing." She began to brush her hair again and when Anzu returned the shirt she had and removed another one, she said, "Wear that one."

"Really?" Anzu looked behind her in surprise. "It's really old..."

"Oh, but you look _so_ good wearing it, Anzu. Trust me. The guys will stare." She smiled and gave a thumbs up. The gesture startled a laugh out of Anzu and the bubbling sensation returned, this time with more force. Anzu shoved it down again, but with a little less conviction than before.

X

The ladies arrived at the club after the men did. Honda and Malik stood by each other, chatting amiably enough. Honda had loosened up a good deal since he stopped hanging out with Jounouchi. His personality was a bit softer and less prone to revenge as it might have been. Anzu shifted uncomfortably. It had been awhile since she last had dressed to go to a club and the last time she _had_ gone ended in disaster. Miho had dressed her in an outfit that, although one of Anzu's favorites, reminded her too much of Yuugi and Jounouchi and their late nights at clubs. She had decided on a white halter top that closed around her neck, a black skirt, and knee-high boots. Miho was dressed in a similar ensemble, except that she went with white platforms and a completely strapless pink halter top. Both were adorned in jewelry and both had received complimentary looks from the men in town while walking to the club.

"Admiring the view?" Anzu queried as Honda and Malik stood staring at them.

"Oh, you bet," Honda said, sidling up to her and putting an arm around her. "Can I take you around the corner for a bit of fun, sweet lady?"

"I'd have to kill you if you did," Malik wryly told him.

"I think I am going to go over here now," he said, sliding over to Miho, who laughed.

Anzu couldn't quite follow the churn of emotions that she felt with her friends. The four of them danced together and for the first time in a long time, Anzu was laughing earnestly. The bubbling sensation in her chest erupted and she was in complete rapture. She spun around in the crowds of people, her and Miho tipping their bodies towards each other's with the boys moving their bodies against theirs. The rhythm of the music thrummed in their blood and when they escaped the club, they didn't walk, but ran. Anzu had a hold of Malik's hand and even he was floating along the pure joy that seemed to be flowing in Domino that night.

When they went to karaoke, the men belted out a duet, getting a low score, but enjoying themselves nonetheless. The girls sang gracefully, but the boys teased them and soon a food fight erupted from the candy they had bought. And when they retired to Honda and Miho's, they got drunk on sake and played PS2, playing poorly. The men hollered at each other as they played against each other and the females cheered for whoever was winning. Miho and Anzu turned up some music while the men were playing and spun around the house, drinking sake and singing to whatever was on the radio. Honda crowed in his usual perverted manner, "Lesbian action!" and the other three simply laughed.

And at the end of the night, when they were all too exhausted or intoxicated, Anzu vaguely recognized the sensation in her stomach.

It was happiness.

_TBC_

X

DIS: Whoa...dude, I wrote this in, like, a few hours. Awesome! I guess it's probably because I've had the ideas for this chapter in my head for months...lol. As always, sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter... Please leave a review, telling me how I did and how you liked it. Constructive criticism is always embraced. Ciao!


	13. Fingerprints: Part XIII

DIS: Woww, it's been a long time since I last wrote anything that had anything to do with fanfiction. Well, as always I apologize for the wait, but at least it was only, um, three months...Thank you to **everyone** that reviewed, I adore every single one of my readers! With that said, here is part thirteen. Enjoy!

X

_Fingerprints: Part XIII_

The tension in Anzu's seemingly frail mind seemed to ease somewhat and her life appeared to fall into a normal, steady pattern to which she could relate. Whereas she once had Jounouchi, Honda, and Yuugi as her closest friends, she now had Malik, Malik, and Honda. Compared to what her friendships once were, it was preferable. However, despite the joy she felt every time she was with one or all of them, there was always the lingering dread in the back of her mind, most especially in the quiet times when she was studying with Malik. She would occasionally find herself pausing in her studies to take quick glances at him and in one such time, he looked up and gave her a questioning look. The study session turned into a photo shoot. How could she ever tell him that she wanted something to hold onto after he had gone so that she might remember him?

But of course she could not tell him that.

_I feel like myself again, though, _she mused during one such study session, pausing to stare ahead of her at a board she had hung in her room. It used to be filled with pictures of Yuugi and Jounouchi, but now it held pictures of her and Miho, Honda and Malik, and a few of Shizuka and Otogi. One was more recent of her and Shizuka that had been sent in the mail the other day, with the message on the back: _I miss you and love you, Anzu! _The events between Anzu and Jounouchi had startled her, but not enough to damage their friendship. Soon their relationship would be rekindled and hopefully, as far as Shizuka was concerned, things would be back to normal, simply not as stifling as they once had been.

She turned away from the photos and looked back to the exam booklet. This would be their last study session, as tomorrow was the exam. She wasn't quite nervous for it as she had been, feeling confident of the content and Malik's assistance in the entire process. She smiled faintly and then snuck a glance at him situated on her bed. He was reading a manga he had bought and eating potato chips, oblivious to her stare. Her smile faded as her heart grew mournful.

"This has been nice, hasn't it, Malik?" she asked him mildly. He turned from the manga and met her gaze, his mouth turning upward into a smile.

"It has been," he agreed thoughtfully, setting the manga aside and turning so that he was horizontal on the bed. He folded his arms and rested his chin on top of them, closing his eyes for a moment. "Nobody has accepted me before – except for you and my family, that is. It's...strange to actually have people that I can call my friends despite them once being my enemies. But, of course, miracles can happen." He opened his eyes to look at her. "You befriended me when I least expected it." He sighed. "But tomorrow you will you take your test, pass it, send your results to Julliard...and then you'll be in another country across an ocean and an entire continent, while I'll be here."

"I've always wanted to go to New York," she said faintly, "but I never thought I'd really make it there." She paused. "I'm going to miss you." _And even more knowing that when I come back for breaks, you won't be here. You'll be in Egypt._

"Not as much as I will miss you," he assured her quietly. "You're my best friend, Anzu, and..." He hesitated before adding, "...and the woman I love."

It was dramatic and romantic all in one. His was not a theatrical nature and she knew that he was being sincere. Her lips parted as she almost broke her promise to Marik and Isis, to tell him about his sister's plans, but she blew out a breath instead and smiled hastily to cover her fumble. How could she possibly tell him something that would literally break him?

_He is going to hate it, returning to a place that will only remind him of a past he hated, _Anzu thought sadly.

That night, Anzu tossed restlessly in bed. She had gone to bed early so that she wouldn't be lacking in sleep, but after falling asleep, she woke four hours later to stare at the clock that bright red numbers that read 1:47 AM. For a long moment, she lay in bed trying to fall back asleep, but after a half hour of staring at the ceiling with worried thoughts running through her head, she at last got out of bed and decided to go outside for a breath of fresh air. Wrapping herself warmly in a sweater and pulling sweatpants over her pajama shorts, she went outside.

It was returning to the season of cool weather and she could feel the cold air raise the hairs on the back of her neck. Shivering, she crossed her arms and looked up the street. The glow of orange lights lit up the dark street, uncovering wooden fences and shrubs. A lone calico cat walked across the top of a wooden fence and paused, staring at her when noticing her presence. When she simply stood, gazing at it, it returned to ignoring her and continued to walk the length of the fence. It's ears abruptly perked and then it disappeared as it jumped from the fence and went dashing into the darkness. Anzu frowned at the cat's behavior and turned to see someone walking from the neighborhood that was a few blocks from her own. She blinked, recognizing the figure almost immediately.

"Good morning, Mazaki," Marik drawled, not bothering to slow his pace as he approached her house at his languid pace. "Up a bit early, aren't you?"

"Why are you here?" she demanded a bit rudely. One of his eyebrows rose and he paused as he came to a stop in front of her house. He looked around and then his eyes fell on her in a sardonic stare. Flushing irritably, realizing how foolish the question sounded, she did not attempt another question and fell silent instead. Marik wandered aimlessly throughout Domino City all night and sometimes all day. It was a mere coincidence that he was in this part at this time of the night. After all, he couldn't have possibly known that she would be awake. Standing silently some feet away from him, she realized that she had not seen him since he had gone to Shizuka's with her. She had been occupied with her studying and partying with Honda, Miho, and Malik that his lack of presence had not even occurred to her until then. "Aren't you cold?" she asked.

"Somewhat," he replied mildly, "but it is welcoming."

Anzu's nose was beginning to get quite cold and she suddenly felt very desperate, wanting to talk to Marik. He seemed to be her guiding star in a flurry of madness. Strangely, it did not disturb her as it should have. He was once that flurry of madness and the pharaoh had been her star. _I follow people too much, _she thought with an irritated frown. She cleared her throat and said, "Why don't you come inside for a bit and get warmed up for the rest of your walk?" His eyes turned to her house in his usual indifferent fashion before he entered her small yard and followed her inside the house. She led him up to her room, closing the door quietly behind her. She slipped into her bed without saying anything to him, sighing as she pushed her nose against the blankets. "You can, um, sit down here." There was a brief pause and then she felt the bed sink down as he sat upon it. Her and Malik were accustomed to laying in her bed together, wrestling, and any physical contact, really. It was an entirely different story with her and Marik; he was a foreign entity, independent of any other living thing.

The room was silent and the only sound made in the span of the twenty minutes they sat that way was when he adjusted on the bed, likely to make himself more comfortable. "My test is tomorrow," she said suddenly, unsure of why she felt the need to inform of this.

At first, it did not appear that he was interested enough in answering, but then he said, "And soon you will be in New York."

"Hopefully."

"And Malik will be in Egypt, where he should be."

"Where he _should_ be?" Anzu repeated irritably.

"That's right, Mazaki," he answered, as if he were speaking to a child. "There is no point in Malik remaining in a place where there will always be chains on his ankle." She stared at him, barely able to make him out in the dark, infuriated that he should say such a thing. He chuckled. "Fuming? I'm unsurprised. Stupid girl...are you really so selfish? What use would it to be keep Malik here while you are in New York? To see him every once in awhile when you decide to come back and feed his addiction? He's in love with you and you don't even care."

"You don't even understand love," she said in a low voice, "how can you even judge? You'll never know, either, not until you experience it." There was a long silence from Marik and she felt a little bit of triumph, thinking that she might have been the one to cause him to be speechless for once. This, however, was hopeful thinking, as it was clear that he had simply had to consider over her words.

"Only romantics such as yourself would think that," he sneered at last. "Observation is all it takes to see that love is a pathetic emotion, one that controls humans and leaves them worthless. Most would sacrifice everything they have for that one emotion. Malik would throw away his entire life to follow you to New York and he would make himself even more miserable than sitting here, waiting for you, hoping that you might one day change and be more than his friend. It is better, therefore, for him to go to Egypt and let thoughts such as that be gone." Anzu remained silent, unable to say anything in response. She felt that he had verbally slapped her in the face. "You might have gained some experience and knowledge, but you are still naïve, Mazaki."

"And so are you," she retorted, sitting up so that she was facing him. "You don't know what it's like to feel love, Marik. It's sitting at home, hoping you get to hear that someone's voice again, anxiously waiting for the next time that you get to see them. You always can smile when you see them and nothing seems to go wrong. When they say something hurtful, it feels like the earth is shattering, but when they say something wonderful, you're on a cloud and you can't help but be happy. You can laugh with them and share anything with them. You would do anything for them because you've convinced yourself there won't be someone else like them. I love Malik, just not the same way. Love is too complicated of an emotion for anyone to understand."

She was startled as he abruptly leaned forward, cupping her shoulder. Her spine stiffened and then his hand trailed from her shoulder and up along her neck to just below her jaw. She searched the dark for his face, but could see nothing. Her face fit in the palm of his hand and despite his being in the room for as long as he had, his palm was still cool. Her face was hot, both from the temperature and from the nervous blush forming on her cheeks. He chuckled darkly and she snapped to attention when she felt his face draw closer – far too close to her own. "Nothing is too complicated for me to understand," he whispered, his cool breath passing over her own lips. His face and hand suddenly disappeared and he was sitting back in place. Slowly, Anzu sunk back, unsure of what to think of the scene of which she had been involved. "Go to sleep," he said abruptly, "or else you'll be too tired for your test."

Despite still having him in her room, she sunk into the covers and closed her eyes. Her mind tried to comprehend Marik, but as always, it gave up the exhausting task. "Marik?" she murmured, reaching out absently, finding his arm. "I probably won't see you after tonight, will I?" He didn't respond. "I'll miss you, too."

There was a short, almost bitter laugh that escaped his throat, but he never said anything and when she woke in the morning, her room held no sign that he had been there.

X

_Bonsai!_

_Good luck girl! :)_

_U fail and I kill you._

Honda's text was, by far, the more motivating of the three. Shizuka had sent her one, knowing that she was taking her test that day. Miho, the most energetic of the three, had given her the first text. Malik was present first thing in the morning to pick her and take her to her appointment. He said, with a good deal of regret, that he would be unable to pick her up, but promised that he would call that night and come by tomorrow. Her mother hugged her at the door and she settled on Malik's motorcycle behind him, plopping the helmet onto her head and securing it. She waved at her mother, who was watching from the door, and then took a hold of his waist as he pulled away from her house.

By the time they had gotten to the high school where the testing would take place, she had a little less than ten minutes left. _Today is the day that decides my future, _she thought to herself. _Geez that doesn't sound like it's from a morning drama or anything..._ She looked at Malik and smiled nervously, hoping for some reassurance.

"You're going to do fine," he promised, smiling. He pulled her into a hug and then kissed her temple. "Good luck, Anzu. I'm rooting for you. Now hurry up before they get pissed because you're late."

"Thank you," she said excitedly.

Throughout the test, Anzu's mind returned to Marik and wondering what exactly last night had been about, but she carefully went over each answer to make certain that she did not forget anything. She was afraid that her distracted mind would cause her to do poorly on the exam. Overall, however, she found that she was doing quite well. All of the questions were what she had been expecting and she breezed through the majority of it until she came to math. Punching in keys on the calculator and coming up with never-ending decimals confused her and caused her a good deal of stress; so much, in fact, that she forgot about Marik entirely and only numbers, formulas, and geometrical shapes filled her head.

Math, it appeared, was the perfect distraction.

After she had taken the test, she left the high school and because it was in the center of Domino City, she headed into town to do some window shopping. She wanted to text Malik, but she figured he must be occupied with something if he had been unable to pick her up from her test in the first place. Instead, she wandered around and her mind eventually returned to Marik. His behavior last night – or rather, early that morning – had been as cocky as usual, but also a little strange.

_He seemed far too willing to get close_, she thought, feeling a tiny shiver run up her spine as she recalled his face being close to hers, his hand cupping her cheek. Shaking her head, she erased the feeling from her mind. _He's always done that every once in a while, though, _she admitted to herself. _But he's never done it quite that long or with as...firm, I guess?...of a touch._ Anzu shook her head again, agitated by the thoughts.

A few hours later, as Anzu was finally getting sick of looking at particularly ugly clothes in a store, her phone rang. Her face lit up when she saw Malik's name pop up. She answered it immediately, saying, "Hello – " but her greeting was cut off suddenly.

"Anzu, I need to see you," he told her in a rushed, unsteady voice.

Her heart dropped as she realized that Isis had finally told him about her planned return to Egypt.

_TBC_

X

DIS: I think this came out as a decent enough chapter... it focused more on Marik and Anzu's relationship than anything else and to get this whole exam out of the way. Next chapter, I believe, will be the last. Ohh, how sad I am to be finishing this story. It was such fun writing it. Ah, well. Please leave a review telling me how you liked it. Constructive criticism is embraced! Ciao!


	14. Fingerprints: Part XIV

DIS: Songs to thank for my inspiration: "Untitled" by Simple Plan, "By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North, "Fall for you" and "Vulnerable" by Secondhand Serenade. **Thank you **for all the reviews and concrit during this story. I really would not have finished this without knowing that you guys were waiting for me to update. Additional blubbering will be at the end. For now, enjoy!

X

_Fingerprints: Part XIV_

Anzu shifted from foot to foot anxiously, standing at the tall clock that Malik bade her to meet him at. She checked the time on her phone. It was not yet a minute after the last time she had looked at it, only four minutes since she had gotten off the phone with him. He was, no doubt, still at home when calling her. She sighed and crossed her arms, tapping them impatiently, rocking side to side and looking around, her brow furrowing worriedly. She moved to check her phone again when she heard the rumble of a motorcycle. She dropped her arms, but the motorcycle continued past and the man was burly rather than nimble like Malik.

_This is stupid_, she thought to herself, suddenly angry. _You knew this was coming, Anzu._ She had done most of her worrying and crying over Malik's departure long before this moment and, in fact, as soon as she had been told of the plan. Part of her was anxious because she knew how upset Malik would be, but more than anything, she was worried at what Malik would say once she told him that she had known all along that he would be returning to Egypt. _Should I even tell him? _she wondered and then hastily shook her head. _Of course I should. He's my best friend, why lie to him? He'll be upset, but I'm sure he'll understand once he's calmed down. _Unfortunately, Anzu's mental argument was not all that comforting.

She checked her phone again. Six minutes had passed. _No, wait..._ Seven minutes. She put her phone away again and began to sigh heavily. She also wondered whether Marik had been there when Isis delivered the news. She could only imagine how much worse it would be if Marik sat in his impassive manner, completely unsurprised, as Isis delivered the news. Malik would know that he had also known the news and that the only person unaware was himself. _This is horrible, _she realized, pushing a hand through her hair. _This must be the worst case scenario...It must be._

This time, when there was a rumble of a motorbike, she didn't look up, staring at the ground. "Anzu," a voice called to her, startling her from her thoughts. She looked around, bewildered, before her eyes found Malik on his bike. His face was set in a neutral expression as he pulled off his helmet and he offered it to her. She took it and paused, staring up in his face with concern. "Not here," he murmured, averting his gaze. "Get on." His tone was strangely brusque, not at all to what she was accustomed. However, she obeyed and settled behind him, closing her arms around him. He barely waited for her to secure her feet before pulling away from the sidewalk.

She tried very hard not to notice that they were going somewhere that she had not been before. She tried to ignore the fact that they were going faster than he normally would have gone while riding with her. She tried to pretend that his body wasn't so stiff and tense. She tried to keep thinking of him as her best friend and less the monster that he turned into when he became angry. She was frightened and perhaps he knew by her grip because he slowed his speed somewhat to reassure her of her safety.

They ended up some ways from the city and at a small beach that lied outside of Domino. It was here that Malik paused, waiting for Anzu to get off and hand him the helmet before setting his bike up. He walked a few paces, turning the helmet in his hands and then violently hurling it into the sand. Anzu watched him with sad eyes, saying nothing. She shivered slightly from the wind that passed over her. "You knew," he said in a quiet, hollow voice after a length of silence. "You knew what was coming and you never told me." He turned to look at her, a pained expression on his face. "How could you not tell me, Anzu?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, closing her eyes, blocking out his face. "I wanted to, Malik...I really did, but Isis and Marik made me promise – " She realized her mistake a second too soon.

"_Marik_ made you promise?" he spat caustically. "Oh and keeping a promise to Marik means more than telling your best friend that his sister was planning on dragging him to another fucking continent? Is it, Anzu?"

"No!" she hastily said. "It was more of Isis than Marik. She...she wants what's best for you and...and I know that I have no business butting into family issues. I found that out the hard way, didn't I?" He just shook his head disgustedly, staring moodily towards the lake. "I'm sorry, Malik...I really did want to tell you about it, but how could I? You have no idea how it felt to know that I was going to lose you to Egypt."

"If you asked me to stay here, Anzu," he quietly murmured, "I would do it in an instant. I would run away to New York to be with you." He paused and turned to look at her seriously. "If you accepted me as your boyfriend, I would do anything for you. You know that. If you really feared losing me all you had to do was tell me and then say that you wanted me to go to Julliard with you and I would have done it." She closed her eyes again, bowing her head in shame. Marik had been right when he had spoken about Malik.

"_...Most would sacrifice everything they have for that one emotion. Malik would throw away his entire life to follow you to New York and he would make himself even more miserable than sitting here, waiting for you, hoping that you might one day change and be more than his friend. It is better, therefore, for him to go to Egypt and let thoughts such as that be gone."_

_You were so right, Marik, _she thought and then she felt a rush of shame, realizing what she had been doing. "I shouldn't have asked you for help with my exam," she quietly said.

"What?" he snapped, his temper barely held in check. "What are you talking about?"

"I just...I thought that if I could pretend to be your friend, maybe you could just forget. Instead I ignored anything like that and encouraged it, being comfortable by it and taking comfort in your feelings for me. I've only been hurting you more."

"_Damn_ _it, Anzu!_" She was startled as he whipped around and stormed towards her. She took a step back, but he grasped her arms and pulled her up so that they were nose-to-nose. "I don't give a shit whether it hurts me. Every moment I've shared with you, every moment I've smiled and been able to be happy I have been thankful for. Introducing me to Miho and Honda...making me feel like I was really _worth_ something...that is more important than my feelings get a little hurt."

He loosened his grip on her arms, conscious that his nails were digging into her skin. "My heart breaks a little every time I see your face," he continued in a soft voice, raising a hand and plunging it in her hair, "because I know that you'll never be mine. You're the unearthly treasure that I'll never have and yet I still covet it. Just a glimpse of that treasure and I feed the addiction and I don't give a damn that it hurts every time I'm away from you. Because...I know that the next day I'll get to see you smile at me and say good morning or some other greeting. And that keeps me satisfied, even if at the end of every day a little piece of me dies." He released her, a morose expression crossing his face. "I knew that the first time I was aware of how I felt for you that it wasn't going to be easy. I was prepared for that, no matter what the case. And, really, that isn't what hurts me the most."

"Then what is?" she asked, feeling tears building behind her eyes.

"The fact that you'll miss him more than me," Malik said quietly. Anzu froze, staring at him, unable to speak. "Don't try to deny it, either, Anzu. There's something that you have with him that you don't have with me, something that draws you to him rather than me. I hate him for it. Him, having something so fucking special and not even knowing what to do with it." He gave a bitter laugh. "The irony of it all..."

"I don't – " she began unsteadily, but he interrupted her.

"Yes, you do, Anzu," he sighed heavily, closing his eyes and tipping his head back. "Maybe it's not love, but it's something. I love the beach," he added as a remark, the wind diving into his hair, blowing the long strands around his face.

For a long time, Malik stood that way with Anzu watching him silently, a churning of emotions curling in the pit of her chest. She then stepped towards him and put a hand on his arm, causing him to return his head to its normal position and look at her. She slid a hand behind his neck, pulling his forehead down against hers. "I love you, Malik, and someday you'll find someone that will treat you better than I have." Before he could give a sarcastic quip, Anzu pulled his face to hers and hesitantly pressed her lips to his. When she withdrew, he simply gazed at her with an enigmatic stare and then turned and looked out at the waters that lapped against the beach. The waves clashed against the land violently. Anzu, too, looked out at it and closed her eyes.

"Maybe," he finally said, "but I'll never find someone who could have helped me become who I am now."

She smiled and turned her head to look at him, pushing her hair behind her ear. "Maybe." He glanced at her and offered a small smile in return.

X

The week that followed was long for Anzu, who had her test results rushed to Julliard so that she might begin preparing for her departure to New York or her new life in Domino without her best friend, as he was due to be moving to Egypt in three to four weeks. She avoided thinking about the other male that she would be losing in the move as well. She had helped Malik go shopping to find some things that he might want to remind him of Domino. He requested that they go to the photo booth at the mall and they spent a good deal of money on film strips, which neither of them seemed to mind. By Tuesday of the following week, Anzu would have her results and then they both would have to make plans.

"It doesn't seem fair," Miho admitted when the two of them had gone out Saturday night, sitting at an internet café, drinking raspberry Italian sodas. "I mean, how can Isis do that to him? He has friends now, has a life, and seems perfectly happy where he is. You two are practically glued at the hip and she wants to tear this away from him?" She gestured around her to indicate Domino City in general. "Why doesn't she take herself and leave?"

"Well, she has Rishid and Marik to think of, too."

"She can take the psycho while she's at it," Miho said firmly. Anzu didn't reply, staring glumly across the room. Miho noticed her expression and gave her a puzzled look. "Anzu? What's wrong?"

"He's not a psycho, Miho. Marik's actually very knowledgeable...he sees more than other people do. I've talked to him," she admitted. Miho looked surprised by this, but had no judging expression on her face as Shizuka tended to whenever she spoke of Marik. "If it wasn't for him...I don't really think I would have ever stopped being abused by Jounouchi and Yuugi and their idea of 'friendship' if it wasn't for Marik. I also wouldn't have realized that this return to Egypt is a good thing for Malik."

"What? That's crazy, Anzu!"

"No, it's not," she said with a sigh. "I've been leading him on a chase that I didn't even realize I was enacting. He loves me and I treated him like any other friend, got comfortable with him so that he would become even more attached. It was wrong of me to do that and I should have realized that I was doing that. I shouldn't have gotten closer after he admitted to loving me, but stayed at the same distance that I had been. I feel so awful about it...knowing that I've been hurting him so much all this time." She shook her head. "It's better for him to be there and away from me. He can find someone that he can truly love and will love him in return. He deserves that. He deserves so much more than I've given him...toying with his emotions, just like Yuugi and Jounouchi did to me with their false friendship." She paused and then added, "He told me he would go to New York with me if I agreed to date him."

"I just don't understand how you can't love him, Anzu," Miho sighed. "The first time you told me that, I was really doubtful to be honest. The way you two act, you might as well have been a couple. Are you sure that you're not making a mistake? Maybe you really do love him that way and simply aren't aware of it." She leaned forward and touched her hand very lightly. Anzu looked at her. Miho's feathery eyebrows were knitted together in worry. "Sometimes you have to be best friends first before you can be lovers. Whoever you are with should always be your friend. It took me forever before I agreed to go out with Honda and that's because I thought he was just a friend and would only ever be that way." She hesitated. "I don't want you making a mistake. Once he goes to Egypt, that's the end of it, Anzu. He'll be forced to find someone else."

"I know," Anzu calmly replied, "but I also know that my heart won't ever be his." _Not when I'm losing it elsewhere, _she added silently to herself.

Miho shook her head, seeming to find her more than a little ridiculous. "I think you're making a mistake. Someone as good looking, intelligent, and faithful as Malik doesn't come by very often. He understands everything you've been through, too."

"I know," she repeated. "I know..." Miho surveyed her and then sighed again, clearly giving up on the subject and simply letting Anzu be. They spent the rest of the night discussing other things, Anzu purposely controlling the conversation so that Miho did not feel compelled to return to the subject.

On Tuesday, she received her letter and she, her mom, and Malik sat around the table staring at it. Malik was frowning very hard at it, as if willing it to be an acceptance letter. It was not the same type of envelope that she had received last time, so Anzu allowed herself to dare to hope. "Okay," Anzu released a breath and looked from her mother to her friend, "let's do this." They both nodded, serious expressions on their faces. Anzu took the letter opener from where it was placed by her right hand and then picked up the letter, pushing the metal up against the paper. She set it down and looked up to meet Malik's eyes. If she ended up staying in Domino, her life would only be more miserable. She would be living a life reminding her of him and that would be too much. He smiled encouragingly. She removed the papers from the envelope and stared at the first line.

_Congratulations! We have received the results of your cumulative entrance exam and, having found your scores acceptable, are pleased to welcome you to Julliard School of Dance..._

She lurched out of her seat, squealing, jumping up and down. "_I passed, I passed, I passed!_" Her mother's face lit up with joy and Malik beamed at her. He rose out of the seat while her mother put her hands to her mouth, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Well done – " he began and Anzu threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He put his arms around her a little uncertainly and then tightened his hold around her. "Good job, Anzu," he murmured in her ear. "I knew you could do it."

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes clenched tight to hold in the tears of happiness. "Thank you so much, Malik..."

They went out that night in celebration with Miho and Honda, who both congratulated her. There was raucous laughter and idiocy, including Honda driving while drinking through the city, blaring loud techno music that caused people to give them dirty looks. However, none of them cared and for Anzu and Malik, this would be one of the last few moments of happiness that they would have with their friends, let alone together. While Anzu would be able to return and enjoy her friends' company, Malik would never see Miho and Honda after moving. And that, really, was reason for any act of desperation. If it meant driving and acting recklessly, then they were prepared to accept that.

"Let's go to the beach outside Domino if you're going to do that," Malik suggested when Honda pulled out a bag of fireworks. "I'm not too hot on having Isis bail me out of jail."

"Or my mom," Anzu added, taking a drink of her beer.

"A beach?" Miho repeated a bit dimly, her senses dulled by the alcohol. She laughed suddenly. "If only it was warmer, we could go skinny dipping!" Whatever any of the others thought about that was drowned out as Anzu and Malik started yelling at Honda as he ran through a red light. Honda, having been taking a long drink from his bottle at that moment, laughed it off and then shifted his route so that they were heading out of Domino City and to the beach.

They collected their alcohol, a dirty blanket that was stuffed in Honda's trunk, and the fireworks and settled out on the beach. Honda and Miho went and set off the bigger fireworks that Honda had, crying out as soon as they went off and erupting in ridiculous laughter. Anzu and Malik sat at the blanket with sparklers, drawing little things in the air with them. Their attention was diverted as Honda and Miho came running to them, panting, "Look in the air, look!" They both looked up just as the firework went off, showering the sky with large sparkles of different colours, lighting up the beach. The water reflected the fireworks and each of their faces were lit up from the light.

"Wow, it's so pretty," Anzu breathed, a delighted smile on her lips.

"Yeah...," Malik slowly responded, staring at the show as well, "it really is."

That was the last time that Anzu visited the beach with her friends and Malik.

X

_(Epilogue)_

Anzu walked through the park slowly, her hands tucked inside her jacket. The temperature had finally dropped to where a jacket was required. She looked out at the grass that was beginning to look rather neglected and frost bitten. The mornings had gotten fiercely cold and any unprotected plants had died from the change in temperature. The park was empty of its usual inhabitants, those of which had been children, elderly couples, or people walking their dogs. Anzu peered through some trees that had lost most of their leaves and recalled the last time she had been in the park. There had been children playing soccer in the expanse of green and she had been on the bench not too far from where she was standing.

Walking around the bend, her steps slowed seeing a figure settled on the bench. She recognized the still male after a moment and when she determined who her companion was, she continued forward and then settled on the bench. Marik opened his eyes, glancing at her, and then he closed his eyes again, apparently disinterested and unbothered by her presence.

Anzu did not say anything to him, sitting and staring ahead of her instead. She had been busy with phone interviews for the few weeks and calling on apartments around the campus. She had gained a job and also an apartment, using money from savings for the first and last month and the down payment. Americans, she remembered thinking, seemed a bit too suspicious for her liking, asking for that much money so soon. She had packed all her things in her room, with help from her mother. Malik had been scarce, having his own packing to prepare. He would be leaving a day after she was leaving and had a lot to get done and seemed to be distancing himself somewhat from her. She felt a little hurt by it, but understood the necessity of it.

"Just like last time, hmm, Mazaki?" Marik queried mildly.

"It is a bit," she agreed. "Isis is letting you wander around?"

"She's too busy to care what I am doing."

They fell silent once again and Anzu, having been occupied by other thoughts, was finally able to consider over Malik's words. She had taken them as an accusation at first, but now knew that he was just trying to allow her to come to terms with her own feelings while acknowledging that he was aware of them. Her relation to Marik had always been one that she had carefully avoided considering too deeply upon. She was unsure of whether it was love, either, but just as Malik had said, there was definitely something there. She had firmly told herself that he was just another friend and that was something that she could handle. Anything else, however, and she felt uncomfortable and awkward, as if in a situation she knew she ought not to be in. "Marik," she said, recalling one of their previous conversations. He opened his heavily lidded eyes and shifted his gaze to her. "What is the one thing that you don't understand?" She met his eyes in a challenging stare, daring him to try and avoid the question.

A corner of his mouth tilted upward in a humorless smirk. "What is the one thing _you_ don't understand, Mazaki?"

Baffled, she frowned and considered over the question. "Love," she decided after a moment's pause.

"Then I have no need to answer your question," he coolly stated, lifting up some of his hair to examine it. Anzu watched him, her mouth turning down. "Despite having observed Malik's fumbles, despite having watched modern humans trip over each other just because of this emotion and despite experience, I have yet to come to any conclusion about it except for the sentiments that I had expressed in your bedroom when the subject was broached." He dropped his hair and pushed his hands in his pockets, tilting his head to look at her and flash an unpleasant grin. "And yet you were the one lecturing me about it and you do not understand it, either."

"I understand what it is to feel it," Anzu responded, "but I'll never understand it as an emotion. Sometimes I don't even recognize it when I feel it."

"I am unsurprised," came his sarcastic reply. "You are perpetually mistaking one emotion for the other – or lying to comfort yourself."

Anzu recognized the jibe, but chose not to say anything. She sat in the cold, wondering why she continued to sit there with her silent partner when he was saying nothing. After nearly ten minutes, she told him, "I'm leaving for Julliard tomorrow morning. Malik promised he would see me off at my house before I go to the airport. My things have already been shipped over to America." He made a low sound to acknowledge her. "I won't see him again after this."

"Pity," he said rather rudely.

She tilted her head and looked at him. "I won't see you again, either," she added, watching his face for any change in expression. His eyes narrowed slightly and he shifted, turning to look at her. She stared back at him. Her throat suddenly constricted, feeling nervous about her next words. Her lips parted and she did not say anything immediately. She licked her lips and then told him in a soft voice, "I...really care for you." He continued to stare at her, as if wondering if she had more to say than that. "I'm, um, going to miss you." His eyes narrowed into slits. She couldn't keep looking at him and dropped her gaze. "I know that even if I stayed, even if you weren't going to Egypt, things wouldn't ever work out and we would never...never - you know - but...I feel like I should really tell you this before I go somewhere else." She stopped, waiting for some kind of response, but only silence met her ears, so she raised her eyes; he wore an unfathomable expression on his face.

"I know," he said to her at last.

Despite how short it was, it was reassuring to Anzu rather than having him stare at her in the manner that he was. She did not stay long after that, feeling entirely embarrassed. She rose to her feet a few minutes later and had intended on going the long way home so that she could simply walk off and not pass him, but an idea occurred to her and she chose to return the way she had come. She paused in front of him and he looked up at her. She tucked her hair behind her ear and then leaned down, tilting her face towards his. She paused a moment, lifting her eyes to his. When he simply met her gaze, she closed the space, their cold lips pressing together. She felt him apply pressure to her lips and after a few more seconds, she pulled away just as her lips had begun to warm. "Goodbye, Marik."

As she turned away, he said, "Farewell, Anzu."

She smiled to herself as she walked away. It was the only time that he had ever used her name. She wanted to turn around, but instead she continued walking forward and after awhile, tears began to spill onto her cheeks. _Stupid, _she thought, smiling grimly. _You're just so stupid. _

The next day when Malik saw her off, he hugged her fiercely and whispered in her ear, "We'll both miss you." She gave him a startled look and he just shook his head. "He was moody last night," he explained. "Anzu, promise me that you will e-mail me occasionally and tell me how things are."

"I promise."

He smiled and as her own eyes began to fill with tears, so did his. She tried to control hers, but he hugged her again and she clung to him. "I wish I didn't have to let you go," he told her hoarsely. She just nodded mutely, afraid to talk. He gave her a last, final squeeze and then hastily stepped back to where his sister was waiting with the car. Isis raised a hand in farewell to Anzu, who waved back. Isis's mouth tilted in a small smile and then she took Malik's arm, gently pulling him towards the car. Anzu's parents called for her, as well, and as she got in the car, she pressed herself against the window, feeling strange, like a part of her had been stolen out of her body.

_We were practically glued at the hip,_ she mused, _and now we've had to be cut away from each other. _She spread her hands on the window. _Weird how much it can hurt to lose two of the most important people in your life..._ She closed her eyes and dropped her hands.

At the airport, her parents hugged her and her mother said, "It'll be a completely different life for you in America, Anzu. Think you can handle it?" She smiled at her daughter to show her that she was only teasing.

Anzu considered the life she had had in Domino and laughed. "Definitely."

_Finis_

X

DIS: Ahh...Sad panda. :( It's the end. I'm actually pretty satisfied with how I did the relationship with the two guys in the end. I always intended her to be with Marik and with him in the picture, Anzu could never be with Malik and all considering, this had to be the way that it ended. I've had the ending decided for some time, actually. I put a little document on my desktop so I wouldn't forget and would strive towards that end rather than go crazy with some manipulashipping lol. In any case, I really have all my reviewers and readers to thank for this story. I'm sorry that it's been sluggish lately, but at least I did get to finish it and it did not remain forgotten! I'm really rather proud of this story for the mere reason that it may be the only story that I managed to keep Marik in character without altering him too much. In any case, please leave me a last review telling me how you liked the ending and whatnot. Ciao!


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